


blinded (by the light)

by inlovewithimpossibility



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Arrow (TV 2012) Season 1, F/M, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Oliver Queen is a Pine Tree, Soulmates, abilities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:55:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 56,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25716154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inlovewithimpossibility/pseuds/inlovewithimpossibility
Summary: Felicity Smoak has been blessed with the sight. It’s a gift very few are granted, the ability to see the connections that bind humanity together. She can see the rawest and simplest part of the human connection, a psychedelic world beneath the mundane.  For years, however, her ability has felt like a curse, forcing her to observe the most beautiful part of the human experience without being able to participate in it herself. That is until Oliver Queen walks into her office and her world explodes into the most vibrant cacophony she has ever known.[a soulmate s1 au]
Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Comments: 479
Kudos: 468





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Relatively long time no see! If you follow me on Twitter (@smoaksmile), you may know that this is the story I've been working on for Camp Nano this year, which ended with the end of July. I hit my target goal and am very excited to begin sharing what I've got so far with you all! I'm hoping to stick to this posting schedule (every Tuesday at 10pm British Standard Time). 
> 
> I sincerely hope you enjoy and, if you're so inclined, please let me know if you do by leaving a kudos and/or comment, they make my day!

__

_and isn't it just so pretty to think  
all along there was some  
invisible string  
tying you to me?  
_ _a string that pulled me  
out of all the wrong arms, right into that dive bar  
something wrapped all of my past mistakes in barbed wire  
chains around my demons  
wool to brave the seasons  
one single thread of gold  
tied me to you_

_\- invisible string (taylor swift)_

* * *

The human experience is all about connections.

In a 21st century world, some people will say that it’s money that makes the world go round, or technological advancement… But to those who understand how deep the ties between humanity run, they know that the most important part of a human’s life on earth is the network of connections they make with their fellow people.

To most, those connections are something that we feel, something that cannot be explained, quantified, or visualized. You simply _are_ attached to those around you and that manifests itself in the range of human emotion.

To some, however, there’s a world underneath what the average eye can see. Human connection isn’t quantifiable, but it is visual. To those gifted with the ability to see it, the world is a cacophony of color, relationships between humans manifesting in ribbon-like connections that brighten and dim with the intensity of a bond. Each individual connection maintains its own color, something that symbolizes the type of relationship the individuals share, and those with the gift know how to interpret this, the human experience their area of study, and the psychedelic world beneath the mundane their textbooks.

Those who have the ability to see this underworld are known as having been blessed with ‘the sight’ and to the outside world, it seems purely like a gift. To those who have it, however, it can often feel like a curse, deigned forever to observe and understand without being able to participate. Witnessing the psychedelic world of human connection is _beautiful,_ but it’s also overwhelming and often means that those with the ability struggle to make connections of their own.

Felicity Smoak is three years old when she discovers she has the sight.

She’s visiting her bubbe, holding her hand as they walk through the park when all of a sudden, the world around her appears to explode. It completely overwhelms her small frame and she screams, falling to the hard paved walkway. Her small hands cover her ears as they begin to ring and she winces her eyes shut to try and block it all out. Her bubbe scoops her up and takes her home but from that day out, Felicity’s life is never the same.

She spends the next year or so in and out of doctor’s offices. Those with the sight are well-known but are becoming rarer. Throughout that year, Felicity starts to get used to her new powers. She’s only small, but she’s always been a quick learner.

Her parents keep her away from large gatherings, the wealth of connections being far too much for her mind to cope with. Her father begins to school her at home, something the doctors recommend they continue when it’s time for Felicity to enter elementary school. There are enough children blessed with the sight for there to be guidelines set in place to protect those with the gift and home-schooling is one of the main guidelines.

Felicity, however, is fascinated by her gift. By the time she’s seven years old, she’s read nearly all the publications written about the sight, asking her father to explain the words she cannot understand within them. She forces her father to sit on the couch for hours on end, watching the ribbon-like lights that expand from his chest. One bright yellow and glowing stretches from his chest to hers, their own individual thread, shining with the strength of their connection. The ribbon that she knows leads to her mother is a bright cherry red, less vibrant than the connection her father shares with Felicity but still intact. He has a wealth of other connections, his advanced age meaning he’s connected to many people throughout his years. Most of them are dull, symbolizing that the connections aren’t anything Noah holds dear, but the ones that glow fascinate and intrigue the young girl. Her hands move through them, as if the ribbons are apparitions, almost bending to her will but not quite complying.

Despite the restrictions meaning she cannot go to a normal school or play in the park like children without the sight can, Felicity enjoys a relatively happy childhood. She doesn’t have friends her own age but she has her parents and that’s all she feels like she needs. She knows by the time that she’s seven that her gift means her life will be different, but she’s okay with that so long as she has the support of her family.

That is, until, her father leaves.

She doesn’t really understand it at the time. All she knows is that her father was homeschooling her one day, then the next he’s not there and her mom tells her he’s not coming home. Felicity cries for days, confused and scared at her world being turned on its head, and watching her connections only make it worse.

She’s never really examined her own threads before now. She knows they’re there, can see the bright French rose that connects her to her mother and the warm apricot for her bubbe. She’s never paid them too much attention before, though. Her parents have far more connections and they act in far more interesting ways than hers do, but in the wake of her father leaving and the pain that ensues from it, she gains a morbid fascination with her own ribbons.

As the earth-shattering pain makes its way through her small body, the once bright yellow ribbon that symbolized her attachment to her father freezes. It no longer glows, it doesn’t move with her hand, but instead aches in tandem with her tiny heart.

As the news settles it, the color begins to fade from the ribbon, dulling with each day and taking a little piece of Felicity’s innocence and hope with her. She watches the connection fade through yellow, to beige, to grey, to a dark obsidian as her understanding of loss and the heartache that comes with it grows. By the time the connection is pitch black, Felicity is nine years old and understands the flip side to the bright world she gets to experience expertly.

Things change from there on out. Felicity’s mom can’t stay home and school her. They need the money her job brings in and Felicity’s excelling beyond her grade level massively anyway. It means that they have to open her connections a little, to a woman gifted with the sight herself who specializes in educating gifted children and takes pity on Felicity and Donna’s situation. Her name is Lucinda and her ribbon to Felicity is Prussian blue. It’s she that truly develops Felicity’s understanding of her talent, teaching her first hand how to interpret the psychedelic ribbons. She spends three days a week at Lucinda’s house, learning basic math and English and science as well as a history of the sight and the skills she needs to survive in the world as someone blessed with the talents.

It’s Lucinda who gives Felicity her first pair of glasses, the frames perfectly developed to help those with the sight deal with being in the outside world. They lessen the brightness of even the most intense connections and help to prevent photophobic overloads. Felicity is incredibly photosensitive, being around a few people with a few strong connections leaves her with a migraine and anything more than that can cause a full sensory overload. As Felicity grows and her own skills develop, she develops the concept of the glasses into her own contact lenses, finding that they are adequate for her everyday use, but when she does has to venture into the wider world, the combination of the contacts and dark sunglasses are the only thing strong enough to keep the sensory overloads at bay.

The contacts aren’t her first project, Felicity uses the days she’s not at Lucinda’s to develop her own endeavors. By the time she’s fifteen, she has quite the collation of both products to help life for those blessed with the sight and technology projects stemming from her love for computers. Often these schemes merge, she has a real way with computers and her passion for her community is a true driving force for her.

Computers, as well, are simple things. Code is code, it works or it doesn’t. They’re something to retreat into when she needs a break from the world and her ability. The monitor is bright, but she can drown in the feeling of control they give her which she never feels anywhere else. For her, the world is full of surprises and pain, at either the brightness of the connections or the pain of losing someone close to you, but computers are different. That domain is where she rules and she’s pretty darn good at manipulating it.

It’s what gains her a GED at fifteen and a full ride to MIT. It’s what motivates her through four years of intense work to graduate summa cum lade with a dual masters in computer science and cyber security. It’s a tough time for her, it’s the first time she’s truly been exposed out in the world, mingling with people her own age. She finds herself to be still very insular, none of her connections developing past the initial stages in a deep azure for the intellectual association, but Felicity is proud of herself for managing.

There’s one exception during her time at MIT. A connection that develops from a deep azure to a glowing bright scarlet. It’s passionate and Felicity’s first experience of love but it’s also her first encounter with how connections aren’t always what they seem.

Betrayal, Felicity learns, hurts just as much as abandonment, and she finishes her degree alone in her dorm room, her heart aching as she sobs, watching that scarlet fade through burgundy and charcoal to settle in the same dark obsidian as the ribbon that had once connected her to her father.

Those two black strands, sitting next to each other and never flowing in the same easy way as her others do, remind Felicity to be cautious. They remind her that her gift can be a curse, that whilst human connection is beautiful, it can also be deadly.

She keeps a low profile from there on out. Moves to Starling City and takes a job in Queen Consolidated’s IT department. She’s vastly overqualified for it, can do all the work it requires with her eyes closed, but it allows her to stay in the shadows. She respects QC for their inclusivity and the projects they develop with the gifted in mind but she never engages with that, despite her being more than capable and knowing how their patents could be improved.

Her job in IT allows her to spend her days in her office, concentrating on computers and not taking up too much of her brain power so that she can still work on her own projects at home. She barely interacts with people at work, all her connections to them a plain Carolina blue, symbolizing their connection to her intellectual pursuit and nothing more. Her life is boring, isolated, but Felicity likes it that way.

That way she doesn’t get hurt. That way she doesn’t have to hear her co-workers making fun of her glasses or the way she reacts to her sensory overloads. She doesn’t have to worry that someone else will leave or betray her and she’ll end up with another black ribbon.

It’s easier this way.

Or at least it is until Oliver Queen walks into her office.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity meet... it goes both awfully and extremely well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I know I said I was posting on Tuesdays but I overthought things and now I want to post on Wednesdays so hi, here, have another chapter, okay bye, I know my brain is weird. 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: this chapter contains description of a sensory overload which can have similar symptoms as panic attacks. If you think that may be triggering for you, read from the line break onwards <3 
> 
> As always, please let me know if you enjoy by leaving a kudos and/or comment if you're so inclined, they make my day!

Oliver is attempting to stay on the straight and narrow.

Okay… maybe not completely but in the sense that he’s got a plan he needs to execute and he’s going to concentrate fully on that until he gets it done.

He made his father a promise, he has a dying wish to uphold. He knows that after all he’s been through, getting rid of the toxicity within Starling’s elite is the only way to create a safe Starling City for its citizens. He needs to do this. He needs to do it for his father, who gave his life for Oliver; he needs to do it for the city he loves, the place he owes everything to that is being run into the ground; and he needs to do it for Thea, his baby sister who is every day falling further into the pits which that toxicity has created.

He once enjoyed a life filled with all the benefits that being rich and idle could afford him. He swanned around Starling City like he owned it, and his parents did own a significant portion. He allowed himself to be motivated by alcohol and sex, never thinking of tomorrow unless it was for which party he would be attending.

The island and his five years away changed all of that.

Oliver has a purpose, a mission he needs to fulfill, but apparently, this city is determined to make that difficult.

He’s very unimpressed when Deadshot kills James Holder, he’s in the middle of threatening the corrupt businessman when Floyd’s curare bullets find a home in the man’s chest before he can get the answers he needs. His goose chase of the assassin is distracting him from the list and his mission and he wants to get to the bottom of Lawton’s motives so that he can get back to his main objective.

That is what lands him in the IT department of his parents’ company on a random Friday morning. The laptop he sequesters from his latest run-in with Lawton might hold the answers if this IT girl is as much of a wiz as his apparent step-father says she is.

He makes his way through the cubicles, having been directed to an office at the back. It makes Oliver frown a little, Walter informed him that this woman is an IT employee, nothing higher in the ranks, so the fact that she has her own office and not a cubicle is puzzling.

The door is shut, the plaque next to it reading ‘Felicity Smoak’ in neatly printed letters and assuring Oliver he’s found the right place. He follows the instructions on the small and neatly written note on the door, knocking before he enters.

As he opens the door, he reveals a small blonde sat at the desk, facing away from him. He can’t see too much of her, the room is surprisingly dark for it being the middle of the day, but he can spot a blonde ponytail, pink shirt, and red lips. She’s chewing on a red pen as she stares at the monitor in front of her and something about her immediately has Oliver smiling. There’s something so simple about the action, her teeth clamping down gently on the plastic, and it stirs something deep within Oliver that he hasn’t felt in a long time… if ever.

“Felicity Smoak? Hi, I’m Oliver Queen,” He greets in his charming way, expecting the woman to look up and smile at him.

She does look up, but the expression on her face is far from a smile.

Her eyes, which are a shade of bright blue, widen for a moment before she squeezes them shut. Her face contorts in pain as if she’s trying to shut her eyes even more and her mouth drops open in a scream. Oliver lunges forward as she slips out of her chair, her hands reaching up to cover her ears as her screams turn into a sob. Oliver feels something deep within his chest tug as the woman writhes in pain and he feels utterly helpless as he rushes to bend down next to her.

“Felicity? Felicity! Can I do anything?” He finds himself asking, a little taken aback by his intense innate need to help this woman but also desperate to do something as she tugs her knees into her chest to then bury her head into them.

“Glasses, top draw,” She manages to grit out from between her teeth, and Oliver moves quickly to the desk, opening the drawer and finding a bright turquoise glasses case.

“These?” He questions as he holds it out but Felicity merely takes it, keeping her eyes clamped shut as she fiddles with them. Oliver realizes that she’s adding extra layers of lenses into them before she finally slides them onto her face. She keeps her head buried in her knees for a moment, her shoulders finally slumping after a long silence as her breathing returns to a more normal speed. When she looks at up him, it’s through layers of dark sunglasses that are fitted tight to her face so as to not let the light in. She shakes her head with a long sigh and Oliver stands out the way when she pushes up off the floor. She reaches for a water bottle, retrieving a couple of pills from her drawer and taking them, shuddering as the medication slides down her throat. Finally, she turns back to look at Oliver, her eyes not visible through the glasses but Oliver _feels_ her attention turning to him.

“I’m sorry about that,” She smiles a little sheepishly but Oliver just shakes his head, thinking through what just happened as understanding finally collates in his mind.

“You have the sight,” He states simply with a small frown, her reaction suddenly making sense… or at least some sense.

Oliver’s never met anyone with the sight. He knows that the majority of them were home-schooled so he didn’t interact with anyone with it at school and then most of his time after high school was spent at parties or in clubs which he knows are pretty much unanimously avoided by the gifted. The people he’s interacted with since the Gambit went down have been limited. There were rumors on the freighter about one of the prisoners having the sight but Oliver never met them. 

“Yes,” Felicity confirms simply, shaking her head after a moment. She slips back into her chair and Oliver rounds her desk once more so that the wooden frame is between them. “I’m sorry, you probably think I’m some kind of freak.”

Oliver frowns at her words, the feeling within him roaring once more as he vehemently shakes his head. “Not at all, I just want to help. Are you okay? I’ve never seen someone with the sight react like that in private.”

“I’m fine. Some connections are just brighter than others. You um… you probably have a lot of people that care about you very deeply, which would make sense, you’re _Mr. Queen,”_ She rambles, shaking her head. Her voice shakes in the first part, her eyebrows furrowed so deep that they disappear beneath the glasses. Oliver can tell when people are lying, it’s something he learned to be able to detect pretty well in his time away, and Felicity Smoak is certainly not being truthful.

That just raises more questions, though. Why would she lie about his connections? Why would she have such an intense reaction to him? It doesn’t make any sense.

“No, Mr. Queen was my father,” Oliver responds instead, shaking his head to try and force his curiosity to the back of his mind.

“Right, but he’s dead. I mean he drowned… but you didn’t! Which means you could come down to the IT department and listen to me _babble…_ which will end in 3… 2… 1…” She shakes her head as she finishes, clearly embarrassed at her babbling but Oliver just bites the inside of his cheek to hide his smile.

This _woman…_ there’s definitely something about her.

“What can I help you with? I know you didn’t come down here to cause me to have a sensory overload and then witness my lack of brain to mouth filter first-hand,” Felicity asks with a wince, her hand flying up to tap herself on the head as she talks about her lack of filter and it’s so incredibly endearing. Oliver is unsure about what’s overcoming him but he knows this interaction isn’t one he’s going to forget any time soon.

“I’m having some trouble with my computer and they told me that you were the person to come and see. I was at my coffee shop, surfing the web, and I spilled a latte on it,” He lies badly, placing the laptop on the desk and sliding it over to Felicity. She scoots closer, her fingers running over the tech with a frown.

“Really?” She questions after a moment and Oliver steels himself as he nods his head.

“Yup,” He responds in the affirmative, knowing it’s a terrible lie but also not being able to come up with anything better.

“You see that’s interesting and I know I can’t see too well right now but um… these feel like bullet holes,” Felicity responds with a quirked eyebrow.

“My coffee shop is in a bad neighborhood,” Oliver answers quickly in a deadpan, shifting a little uncomfortably as Felicity tilts her head. She’s seeing straight through him, despite her eyes being covered with layers of dark lenses, and Oliver’s not too sure how he feels about that. “If there is anything that you can salvage from it, I would really appreciate it.”

“Yeah, sure, okay. If you could go away so that I can look at it properly, that’d be great,” Felicity nods as she looks back down at the ruined piece of tech, her fingers running over it slowly, as if she holds reverence for it.

“Oh okay, I’ll wait outside,” Oliver confirms and that has Felicity looking back up.

“Or upstairs?” She suggests with a sheepish grin and Oliver frowns but nods, knowing that she’s doing him a favor and after he just caused her to have a sensory overload, it’s the least he can do.

“Upstairs it is,” He nods and Felicity smiles, looking back at the computer.

“I’ll alert Mr Steele when I’m done,” She tells him, her attention fully on the laptop now and Oliver frowns.

“Thank you, Felicity, and I’m sorry about the sensory overload thing,” He tells her as he makes his way to the door, that feeling deep within him panging once more.

“All good! Comes with the territory!” She waves him off and Oliver frowns, suddenly feeling like she’s very determined to get rid of him.

“Okay, I’ll be upstairs,” He tells her before he leaves, shaking his head when that garners no response from the pretty blonde, her focus fully on the busted laptop.

Oliver shakes his head with a long sigh as he makes his way to the elevator terminal to head up to wait in Walter’s office. There’s something off about that whole encounter with Felicity. The instinctive need Oliver felt to help her and the reaction she elicited from deep within in him were extremely strange and she definitely lied about what prompted her sensory overload.

But why?

Oliver can’t help but feel that this is the start of a very long road.

* * *

“Frack, frack, double frack,” Felicity huffs as she pulls the glasses off her face once Oliver Queen is finally out of her office and on his way up to the executive floor.

Her head is pounding. It’s the worst migraine she’s had in a while and she groans as she realizes that she’s about to be sick. Forcing herself up from her chair, she rushes to the bathroom, falling to her knees in front of the basin and her knuckles turning white as she throws up her entire day’s worth of food. Her head is spacey, the pounding feeling like someone is in her brain with a hammer, hitting it against every surface they can find and she forces herself to take deep breathes, trying to focus her vision.

She knows what this means. Lucinda taught her about it all those years ago when she taught her the history of those with the sight.

The rarest, most beautiful of connections, shimmering a blinding opal from the moment the two meet… _soulmates._

“Frack.”

Felicity slumps against the wall of the bathroom cubicle, feeling worse than she ever has after a sensory overload. She knows what just happened but she’s never seen anything like it.

Usually, when she meets a new person or she sees two new people meet, two simple white ribbons emerge, one from each person in the connection. The ribbons dance their way to each other, winding around the other until they form one pure connection, unblemished by the shades of color. Sometimes that color takes route automatically, a bright azure zooming across the ribbon to color it immediately, but often it takes time as the two people learn what they are to each other.

When Oliver Queen entered her office, however, it was nothing like that at all.

Felicity’s head pounds as it recalls the way the most blinding light consumed the entire room, emitting itself from both of their chests until it met in the most vibrant explosion of color Felicity has ever seen. Every single color of the spectrum burst out of where the two ribbons met, before it settled into one glowing opal ribbon, thick and thrumming with energy. It was completely overwhelming and spots are still lingering in Felicity’s vision.

When Lucinda first taught her about the idea of soulmates, Felicity was fascinated. To know that there is someone out there who could be your perfect partner, tied to you in every single way, and supportive of you through _everything_ … it’s a beautiful thought. She knows, however, that soulmates are rare and she’s been sure for years that she doesn’t have one.

She supposes even your most sure of thoughts can be challenged.

Felicity never expected meeting a soulmate would be such a painful experience. She feels like every cell of her body is both on fire and yet calling out for him. Despite the pain in her head, there’s something deep within her stomach pulling her towards Oliver, like she _wants_ him. It’s an odd sensation but a pleasant one, she’ll admit.

Finally, her eyes start to focus and she forces herself up from the floor, flushing the toilet before she heads out to the sinks. She splashes some water on her face, frowning at how _ill_ her complexion looks in the mirror. She shakes her head, swallowing thickly before she finishes up and heads back to her office.

Concentrating on the laptop means that she can take her mind off of the whole _soulmate_ discovery. She throws herself into retrieving the files, though what she finds just brings up more questions than it solves.

Why Oliver needs blueprints of the Exchange Building, she has no idea. All she knows is that Mr. Steele, who has always been kind to her, is heading to the UNIDAC auction tonight and the Exchange Building is where it’s taking place. The fact that Oliver is somehow in possession of blueprints of that building sounds like a convoluted plan to her.

One that she herself really does not want to get mixed up in.

She calls up to Mr. Steele’s office, reaching for her glasses once more with a sigh. Now that she knows what to expect with Oliver and the bond has been formed, she knows it won’t cause such a reaction from her, but she also wants to be cautious. Her head is pounding enough right now.

Also, the glasses will help hide her face from him and that’s good because she’s unsure of how to act around this man who is supposedly her _soulmate._

She’s thinking about how she really needs to work on the automated system for these glasses when Oliver reappears in the doorway with a knock on the door and a soft “Felicity?”.

When she turns to look at him, it’s only the feeling deep within her gut that reacts. She cannot help the smile that spreads across her face as she takes in his handsome face, clearly scared to re-enter in case he triggers another overload. There’s something so endearing about it, so sweet, and it’s a side to him that he clearly doesn’t share much, if the way he was hiding his smiles earlier is any indication. He’s such a dichotomy of a man and Felicity knows that those five years away can’t have been a walk in the park, but the secrets he holds seem to be dragging him down.

She can see the way he has something weighing on him, his shoulders squared off with every move as if everyone could be an attacker. Everyone… apart from her.

No, he looks at her with a softness to his eyes, an affection that she hasn’t earned or warranted, but he offers just the same. It tugs at that part deep within her and settles the pain throughout her. Their connection, looping through the room and illuminating it with light, shines brightly, the different colors catching the light and settling Felicity’s mind. Looking down, she realizes that it makes _all_ her connections glow just a little brighter and the pain she still feels from her dark ribbons lessens. It’s as if merely being in his presence soothes her in a way she’s never experienced before.

Felicity shakes her head, taking a deep breath before she paints a smile on her face and gestures him inside. “Listen, I don’t know what you think is going on here, but I’m not really looking to get involved in some Shakespearean family drama.”

“Pardon?” Oliver frowns as he enters the room properly, his worry dropping to be replaced with confusion.

“Claudius... Gertrude... Hamlet…?” Felicity prompts, her eyebrows rising each time as she gets no response from the billionaire.

“I didn’t study Shakespeare at any of the four colleges I dropped out of, sorry,” Oliver winces as he settles down in the seat next to her. Felicity shakes her head, ignoring the tug in her stomach at being so close to him as she turns back to her own monitor where she has the blueprints pulled up.

“The files on this laptop, which is _clearly_ not yours, by the way, are blueprints to the Exchange Building,” Felicity explains, turning her monitor a little so that Oliver can see.

“Never heard of it,” He answers with a frown, and Felicity freezes. Is he just giving up all pretense that this laptop is his?

“Where the UNIDAC Industries auction is scheduled to take place? One of the biggest competitors to buy UNIDAC? You were just in his office. But you also have a laptop associated with one of his biggest competitors,” Felicity tells him with a raised eyebrow, gesturing up to the ceiling and then down to the monitor. She doesn’t know why on earth Oliver would have a laptop from the CEO of one of Mr. Steele’s biggest competitors for UNIDAC Industries and honestly, she’s not sure if she wants to know.

“Floyd Lawton,” Oliver answers confidently but Felicity just frowns, shaking her head.

“No, Warren Patel. Who’s Floyd Lawton?” Felicity asks, the questions just racking up in her mind.

“One of Patel’s employees, evidently,” Oliver comments with a long sigh, blinking for a moment before he stands. “Thank you for your help, Felicity.”

“Seriously? That’s it? You’re going to leave it there?” Felicity scoffs, looking after him for a moment in disbelief. Their connection glows a little brighter, the red elements within the opal brightening slightly, but Felicity forces herself to ignore it, looking instead at Oliver with an unimpressed expression.

“Leave what where?” He questions with a confused blink as he turns back to her. He looks honestly baffled as to what she’s asking about and that confounds Felicity further. (She forces herself to ignore the part of her brain that’s telling her he looks adorable all confused in his Henley, because NOT RIGHT NOW.)

“Nothing, go, it’s fine,” She shakes her head, gesturing towards the door. Oliver has no idea they’re soulmates, doesn’t know that they’re connected in the most ancient and basal way possible. He thinks she’s just some random IT girl and Felicity can’t be mad about that because she’s the one who hasn’t told him.

“I really appreciate your help,” He tells her sincerely, smiling warmly at her once he reaches the door.

“It’s what I’m employed for,” Felicity waves him off with a sigh and he frowns for a moment, leveling her with one last smile before he disappears around the corner.

Felicity sinks back into her chair with a huff, annoyed at herself for the way her brain is whirling trying to piece this all together. It’s a mess, she can tell that even with the little information she has about it, but as her newest and brightest connection thrums with the energy garnered from their brief interaction, she knows it’s one she’s going to end up tangled up in.

“You’re a mystery, Oliver Queen, and I am not a fan of leaving those unsolved,” She speaks to the thin air, shaking her head as she looks back to the blueprints on her monitor.

This can only end badly.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver faces Deadshot at the UNIDAC gala and revelations are had all around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! Thank you all so much for the incredible response I've received on this story so far, everyone has been so wonderful and it means so much to me! As promised, here's the next chapter! I sincerely hope you enjoy these babies! If you do, and you're so inclined, let me know by leaving a kudos and/or comment, they make my day!

Oliver is on tenterhooks.

He’s very glad Lance agreed to cover the area with his squad, it gives him slight peace of mind, but he’s still incredibly worried about what might happen as the auction gets away.

He’s making his way through the Exchange Building, keeping an eye on the towers he knows Deadshot will have a prime position from. He nods at Diggle, glad to know there’s someone he trusts with experience here too, and he smiles awkwardly at Walter when his stepfather calls him over.

“Oliver, so glad you’re able to attend,” The tall man tells him with a warm smile but Oliver keeps his expression stoic, the man’s lack of self-preservation instincts irritating him.

“Walter, the police say some of the UNIDAC bidders have been murdered. Don’t you think we should be a little more cautious? My mother’s already lost a husband,” Oliver states bluntly and Walter does look taken aback for a moment before he smiles charmingly.

“Well, if your mother was concerned, she wouldn’t have come, and she certainly wouldn’t have brought your sister,” Walter states charismatically but his words make Oliver’s blood run cold.

His mother he knew was here but Thea? That’s a whole other innocent life he cares about _very deeply_ on the line.

He follows Walter’s line of sight to see that his stepfather is indeed right and his baby sister is stood next to his mother, laughing at something she’s said. She’s dressed in a pretty blue dress with her hair down, looking very much like the seventeen-year-old she is and Oliver’s jaw clenches at the thought of her in danger.

His feet carry him away from the tall businessman instinctively, moving around his mother to stand in front of the two women.

“Oliver! What a wonderful surprise,” Moira smiles in delighted surprise, looking him up and down with a parental admiration. Oliver looks up, gesturing Diggle over, and the bodyguard frowns but steps over.

“I need you to get them out of here right now,” He tells the security guard and Diggle’s brow furrows as he looks around.

“Ollie? What are you talking about?” Thea asks in bafflement, but Oliver’s attention is distracted as he spots another familiar face, looking around the room with intrigue.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Oliver sighs under his breath, something within him stirring as he takes in the overwhelmed expression on Felicity Smoak’s face as she looks around the room. “Diggle, _please,”_ Oliver resigns, looking at the bodyguard, relaxing when the guard nods. He ignores both Thea and his mother’s questions, rounding them to make his way over to Felicity.

“Oliver!” She gasps when she spots him walking over to her but the sight of her here has ignited something in him. He’s _terrified_ that something might happen to her and any shreds of control that he thought he had five minutes ago have all slipped away.

“Felicity, what on earth are you doing here? How did you even get in?” He questions, his voice deep and growling. It’s harsher than he wants to address her but the idea of her getting hurt triggers that feeling deep within him.

He doesn’t know what it is about this woman but he _needs_ to keep her safe.

“I’m a highly qualified IT worker, Oliver, I know how to make a fake invitation,” Felicity scoffs with a roll of her eyes and Oliver notices that this is the first time he’s seeing her properly without the thick sunglasses she was wearing earlier. He doesn’t know how she’s coping being in a room with so many people and presumably connections without them but as he looks into her eyes, he can spot a dark film over them that he presumes are contacts.

“That still doesn’t answer what on earth would possess you to bring yourself to an auction where a number of the bidders have been _shot,”_ Oliver reminds, clenching his teeth, but as he speaks, Felicity’s eyes close and she groans. Immediately, Oliver’s demeanor changes, his hand moving to cup her shoulder comfortingly without thinking. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, there’s just… a lot of people here,” Felicity blinks a few times, her eyes clearly trying to adjust. Oliver frowns, she’s clearly overwhelmed, and he cannot see the glasses she had on earlier anywhere. In fact, she’s wearing a navy blue dress, dark enough that she blends into the crowd but still highlighting her curves, which Oliver cannot help but notice are particularly beautiful.

“Your glasses?” He questions, shaking his head to clear his head of _those_ thoughts.

“My contacts are extra strength, these ones are normally okay,” Felicity counters with a wince and it is then that Oliver realizes it’s him she’s avoiding looking at. She’s looking around the room, over his shoulder, but her blue eyes (which he can just about make out the tint of beneath the dark contacts) are avoiding the space between them.

“It’s me again, isn’t it?” He questions, stepping back with a gasp. He feels such a connection to this woman and to know that being in his presence causes her pain… it’s debilitating.

“No! It’s…” Felicity jumps to answer but before she can, the loud sound of a shot rings out through the auction room.

Oliver spins immediately, turning to see that Lance managed to push Walter, the target of the bullet, out of the way in time but the bullets are continuing to fly in through the large windows.

“Diggle! Her too!” Oliver calls, placing a hand on Felicity’s back and urging her towards where the bodyguard is trying to usher Moira and Thea out of the room still. They look at Felicity a little oddly, clearly having no idea who the woman is, but Oliver is far more intent on making sure the three of them get to safety.

“Sir, I need to look after _you,”_ Diggle sighs, even as he begins to urge Felicity from the room too, moving behind her to cover her small body with his own in case of stray bullets.

“No, _them,”_ Oliver insists before looking around and rushing up the stairs.

“Where did he…?” He hears Thea gasp but he’s already heading for the bin where he’s left his suit so he doesn’t hear Diggle’s answer. He changes as quickly as he can, but when he swings across the main area of the Exchange Building, he’s shocked to see a certain blonde staring up at him in both shock and awe.

He doesn’t know what it is about Felicity’s gaze in particular, nearly everyone in the room is staring at him as he heads across to where Deadshot is taking aim from, but there’s something about the way Felicity looks at him. It’s as if she sees straight through him.

It’s entirely unsettling and yet simultaneously comforting.

He shakes his head, forcing himself to concentrate on the fight and the target. His interaction with Lawton is a little unsettling, especially when Diggle arrives on the scene. Watching the man he’s grown to trust fall to the floor from a shot after following him to keep him safe… Oliver knows what he has to do, even if he’s not the biggest fan of the idea.

He takes Deadshot down with a shot to his eye, shaking his head at the thought that he’s anything like the assassin. Oliver knows he’s not honorable, he has no delusions of that. He is trying to help his city, however, and he will do whatever it takes to take down the poisonous elite who are spreading their venom through the streets he loves. Deadshot is servicing that venom for a pay check and the thought makes Oliver sick to his stomach.

He manages to get Diggle back to the Foundry, the large man lying incapacitated on his work bench. Oliver sets about brewing a spoonful of his herbs from the island, taking his time to make sure he does it right but speeding a little to ensure he gets them in Diggle before the curare from Deadshot’s bullet spreads. Holding the man’s mouth open, he forces the tea down his throat and steps back to wait for him to wake, pulling down his hood and rubbing his face clean of the grease around his eyes.

This is it.

The first time he reveals himself to someone.

And it is safe to say that it goes as badly as it could’ve.

Diggle is shocked, angry, and confused. He tries to punch Oliver numerous times and makes it very clear to him that he thinks he’s a criminal who is doing the city far more harm than good. He takes offense at Oliver’s request for them to team up in his mission and leaves clutching his injured arm.

Oliver hopes the herbs help him recover from the bullet and that he changes his mind. He trusts Diggle, respects him, and that’s a lot for Oliver at the moment. Seeing people as humans is hard when they’ve been targets or threats for so long. He trusts Diggle in a human sense, though, he sees him as an equal and there are very few people he can say that for.

He also knows, however, that this is a lot to process. To hear that the man you’ve been hired to protect is also the man running around in a hood every night and shooting people with arrows isn’t something you encounter every day. Oliver just hopes Diggle can learn to see the good that Oliver is trying to accomplish here because the man is right.

This isn’t something he can do alone.

He’s learning that now.

He needs a partner.

Maybe two.

Just as he thinks that, his phone begins to ring.

Oliver frowns, turning it over and assuming it to be Thea or his mother, worried about him after the events of the night.

He’s surprised, then, to see that the name reads _Felicity Smoak._ It’s odd not only to hear from the blonde he met this morning but also because he never gave her his number and he certainly didn’t program hers into his phone.

He thinks back to her words at the auction earlier; _“I’m a highly qualified IT worker, Oliver, I know how to make a fake invitation,”_ and smirks. He doesn’t know why, but something within him tells him to take the call, and he hits accept.

“Oliver, yes I have your number, yes I’m a contact on your phone, don’t question it, okay? Wait, that sounded weird, you _can_ question it but the answer is just that I’m very good with technology which you probably already knew and I am going to stop talking now,” Felicity immediately babbles after the line connects and the rambling draws a smile across Oliver’s face. After such a long day, it’s endearing to hear her voice so full of light.

“Hi, Felicity,” He counters with a surprising affection to his voice. He really doesn’t know what it is about Felicity that draws out such an affection. He only feels remotely like this towards family, but this is a different feeling to how he feels for Thea and his mom too. He really can’t explain it and that just baffles him further. 

“Hi,” She answers and despite only having interacted with her briefly, Oliver can hear the sheepish smile in her voice. It widens his own smile and he shakes his head affectionately.

“What can I do for you?” Oliver asks, leaning back against the table in the dark Foundry, feeling a little odd as he looks around the dingy room and speaks to a woman he thinks might be personified sunlight on the phone. It’s a dichotomy, for sure.

“Well I think it’s probably best if you come here,” Felicity states confidently and Oliver’s brow furrows.

“Felicity, I’m a little busy at the moment. Can it wait?” He questions, knowing that he probably needs to go home before his family sends out a search party.

“No. I know you’re the vigilante,” She answers quickly and Oliver freezes, his blood suddenly running cold.

“Felicity…” He sighs, thinking of the way she had looked at him as he swung across the crowded room earlier. It felt then like she was piercing through his soul, seeing something beneath the hood that no one else could. He’d forgotten momentarily then about her ability but if she had seen him then, it’s possible she recognized him from his connections.

“No, I’m texting you my address. We need to talk,” Felicity tells him before the line goes dead and Oliver sighs, knowing that he needs to see her and talk to her.

His phone buzzes with an address for just outside the Glades and Oliver sighs, taking a moment to change into a Henley and jeans before he collects his things and follows his nose to the address.

The house is pretty, a small terraced place, but Oliver feels unnerved that this area is where Felicity lives. The Glades are dangerous and Felicity is not hidden from that here. Her property sits on an awkward line between the city and the crime-ridden borough and the thought of what she might be exposed to here makes Oliver sick to his stomach. He hasn’t been back long but he’s seen some of the worst of what the Glades has to offer and knowing that _Felicity_ lives in the middle of that? It doesn’t sit right with him at all.

He laughs with a shake of his head when he spots that she’s left the upstairs window open, a small green arrow gesturing to it, and he checks that the street is empty before he scales the building and slips in through it.

Felicity is sat waiting on her bed, though she still jumps when he slips through the door. His lips quirk up at the sight of her nested doll pajamas and MIT sweatshirt, storing the information of her alma mater at the back of his mind for safe-keeping. She’s wearing slightly tinted glasses and she seems to be fine as she turns to look at him, if clearly a little nervous. Her blonde curls are loose around her head and Oliver is taken aback by just how _young_ she looks.

“You know, you really shouldn’t be leaving your window open like that in these parts, you never know who might climb in,” He comments with a smile, hoping to keep the tone light, and he feels a burst of pride run through him when he sees Felicity’s lips quirk and her shoulders lose a little of their tension.

“Oh, like the guy who’s been running around shooting people with arrows for the past month?” She counters with a raise of her eyebrow and Oliver chuckles, taking in her bedroom. It feels a little like an invasion of privacy as he takes in the intimate space but the bright colors that are dotted around are just so _Felicity,_ and it makes him smile.

“Yeah, he’s a pretty dangerous dude,” Oliver smiles back, their eyes meeting and Oliver feels his own soften.

What is it about this woman?

“Seems like a softie, really,” Felicity chuckles, shaking her head. Oliver frowns for a moment, he doesn’t think anyone else would be referring to him as such, but the connection he feels with Felicity means he’ll let it slide.

She stands, clearly nervous still as she looks around the room and Oliver desperately wishes he could settle her nerves despite knowing that this is going to be a difficult conversation no matter what.

“Do you want a cup of coffee, tea? Do you drink those?” She asks, looking at him with a frown, and Oliver chuckles, nodding his head.

“I do drink both but I’m okay. I should probably get home soon so that my family doesn’t send out a search party though so what did you want to talk about?” Oliver asks, trying to keep his voice calm and level. He can see how nervously Felicity is and he wants to calm her fears.

What he doesn’t expect, is for her to laugh.

“Seriously? You’re running around in a bad impersonation of Robin Hood and you’re asking me what I want to talk about?” She questions, raising an eyebrow as she looks at him and Oliver frowns.

“Okay, first off, that’s just the green and the arrows. Secondly, what’s your proof?” Oliver questions as he folds his arms over his chest. He knows he’s being obtuse, but the way Felicity scoffs is sort of adorable so he doesn’t mind.

“That’s how you want to play it? Oliver, I see the connections that bind people together, those bonds? They’re individual to _everyone,_ no two people have the same set of connections, not even clones. So, the fact that you have the same connections as the vigilante? That’s pretty clear proof,” She tells him with a leveling look and he schools his expression from the smile that’s growing, nodding his head. He guessed it was something to do with her ability and he knows that he has no way to refute her evidence, especially when it’s something he himself cannot see.

“Okay, what do you want to do with that information?” He questions slowly, quirking an eyebrow, and Felicity freezes, her eyebrows furrowing and her lips forming a small pout.

“Huh. I don’t know. I didn’t think that far ahead,” She tells him honestly and her candor makes him chuckle. Seeing his opportunity, he takes a deep breath, readjusting his shoulders before he speaks.

“You know, I’m not the only one with a secret, Felicity,” He tells her plainly, keeping his voice still and allowing no room for argument.

“What do you mean?” Felicity counters as her pout deepens with her frown, turning more quizzical as she tilts her head at him.

“I know the reason you had an overload when we met earlier wasn’t because of my connections being particularly bright. That’s not true. So, what I want to know, is what do you know about my soul?” He asks her slowly, watching her carefully as her face contorts into more confusion. He knows that she must know _something_ about his soul, most likely that his time away has warped it in some way.

It would make sense.

He rarely feels like a human anymore.

“Your soul? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Felicity asks, looking seriously confused and Oliver just shakes his head with a shrug.

“Well there’s something wrong with it, right? My connections aren’t working? I’m too damaged for it?” He states simply with another shrug, a little confused when Felicity’s jaw drops.

“ _That’s_ what you think is going on? Oh, Oliver,” She comments as she melts, her expression tilting into one of sympathy that makes his stomach twist uncomfortably. He’s not sure sympathy is something he deserves, especially from someone as pure as the woman standing before him.

“What?” He questions with a frown but that only seems to ignite more pity from the blonde before him. “I spent five years away from home and _nothing_ good happened. I changed fundamentally, I’m not sure I’m entirely human anymore.”

The words feel odd to speak aloud, they feel more truthful that way, but also, he’s been convinced of them for a while now.

“I know you are,” Felicity answers quickly and without restraint, making Oliver frown as he looks up at her from where he’d been staring at his shoes. “Want to know how?”

Oliver swallows thickly but nods, his eyes watching Felicity cautious as she pads softly across the room in her fluffy socks, stopping just in front of him. His eyes dart to her hand as she lifts it, keeping her movements slow as she raises her hand to his chest. She closes her eyes and it takes a moment, but Oliver realizes she’s touching his connections.

“These right here. You can’t see them, but I can, and I know from this alone that you are as human as they come. You have such a beautiful set of connections, Oliver. Those you love deeply, those you rely on, those you protect, those who teach you… they’re all here, just like almost everyone else on this planet. These connections are the most human thing about us and I know that you are so very human by how rounded out and bright yours are.”

Oliver feels his throat thicken as she speaks. Felicity’s words are overwhelming. He hasn’t had anyone tell him anything about him is beautiful in a long time. After everything he’s been through…. It’s overpowering.

“And what’s different then? What sent you over the edge earlier?” Oliver questions instead of addressing it, swallowing thickly as he takes a deep breath.

“First of all, I didn’t go over the edge, I had a sensory overload. But _this,”_ Felicity corrects him, her eyes narrowing, but it switches to amazement as her hand wraps around something and she tugs gently.

Her mouth drops open and Oliver feels that tug he felt when he first met her once more. “I can feel that, how can I feel that?” He questions in amazement too, he’s never heard of anyone with the sight being able to _tug_ on bonds.

Felicity looks amazed too, her hand dropping and she paces away for a moment, frowning before she looks back at Oliver with bafflement on her face.

“I’ve never been able to properly touch a connection before. My hand usually moves through them like they’re ghosts, or you know, the general perception of ghosts, really depends on what you think of apparitions…”

She begins to ramble and Oliver can tell that she could go on forever but she still hasn’t explained what’s different about this connection.

“Felicity?” He interrupts and she turns to him with wide eyes.

“Right… sorry,” She shakes her head, taking a deep breath, but then she merely reaches down towards her own chest. “This is… whoa!”

“I felt that too,” Oliver gasps as she wraps her hand around what he assumes is one of her connections and he feels that same pull again.

“I’ve got some research to do,” She shakes her head, rushing over to the small desk by the window where a laptop is sat.

“You want to explain to me first?” Oliver asks with a chuckle and Felicity freezes from where she’s in the process of sitting down in the chair.

“Right, sorry,” She shakes her head, sinking into the chair and turning around to face him. “You might want to sit first.”

She gestures to the bed and Oliver’s brow furrows but he perches on the end of the bed, turning to look at Felicity with a curious raised eyebrow.

What he doesn’t understand is how tugging on one of her own connections elicited the same reaction as tugging on his did. It’s clear this is something Felicity herself has never experienced, she said herself she’s never been able to fully grasp a connection before.

He takes a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down and stop his brain from whirling as he looks at Felicity. She’s clearly nervous too, but she takes a deep breath, adjusting her glasses before she starts to explain.

“There’s a particular kind of connection that two people sometimes share. You see, usually, bonds start out plain, a simple white ribbon. Over time, that ribbon will change color to symbolize the relationship the two people have. Those with the sight, we learn to read those colors so that we can interpret connections and relationships,” Felicity tells him, gesturing with her hands as she does so and Oliver frowns.

“That sounds complicated,” He comments, thinking of how difficult it must be to keep all of that straight in her mind on top of all her tech know-how.

“You get the hang of it, and it can help you determine a person’s character. For example, I know that you have had a lot of loss in your life but also those you do connect with, you connect with them deeply. You have friends you trust and value and what I assume are family you hold very dear,” Felicity shrugs before she smiles affectionately, tilting her head. She has that look she gave him at the gala earlier as if she can see straight through him, and it elicits the same feeling from Oliver.

“You can know all that just by looking?” He asks, completely amazed by the woman before him.

“It’s a talent,” Felicity smirks with a preening tilt of her shoulders and Oliver chuckles with a shake of his head.

“So, what was it that caused your sensory overload?” He questions. He’s impressed at her knowledge but it still doesn’t explain exactly what happened earlier today.

“The connection between you and me,” Felicity states simply and Oliver frowns.

He hadn’t thought of that.

“I’m assuming it’s not a simple white ribbon,” He tells her with a small smile and Felicity shakes her head.

“No,” She states simply before she takes a deep breath. “These connections are rare, I’ve certainly never seen one before, though your bodyguard has one by the way… _anyway,_ these connections, opal is the best way to describe them? They’re a shimmering white and you can see nearly all the colors of the rainbow running through them. They’re made in a bright burst of light, which was what caused the overload earlier, but they symbolize that those two people are destined to be connected in every way.”

Oliver blinks, taking in each word as she speaks. He’s reminded of the stories Shado would tell on the island, telling Oliver of the legends she’d learned. Soulmates were one of them. She used to speak of special connections that drew people together that only those with the sight could see. Oliver hadn’t believed her at the time but she had been so sure they existed, he didn’t have the heart to disagree with her.

“Like soulmates?” He asks Felicity, blinking at her plainly.

“Exactly,” Felicity frowns, tilting her head as she stares at him discerningly. “You don’t seem as surprised as I thought you might.”

“I’ve heard a tale of them before. I never thought _I_ would have a soulmate though,” Oliver explains with a disbelieving tone. He takes in Felicity in front of him, looking so simply beautiful in her pajamas. The way he’s been feeling all day, wanting to be around her, and feeling a need to protect her? It makes sense now.

She’s his _soulmate._

He’s not sure he deserves something so beautiful.

“Surprise?” Felicity questions with an adorable shrug of her shoulders and a smile. Oliver chuckles affectionately, his expression softening as he looks at her.

“So what does this mean?” Oliver asks after a moment, smiling softly at her. Felicity bites her lip, her chest heaving as she takes in a deep breath.

“I don’t know, there’s no rule book going forward with it all, but I guess we take the information for what it is and go from there? I don’t know about you but I’m not going to fall to my knees just because the universe is telling me you’re the man I’m destined to love. I’m not that easy,” She smirks as she looks at Oliver, her eyes sparkling beneath the frames of her glasses and Oliver chuckles.

“I don’t doubt that for a second,” He grins, shaking his head. Felicity’s expression turns more serious, biting her lip as she looks at him nervously and Oliver feels that part within him tug once more.

“I’m also warning you now, I’m not great with the whole human connection thing. Having the sight… it can be a bit of a curse. You have to avoid social situations and it often means you have far fewer connections than the people you observe,” She explains under her breath and before Oliver knows what’s happening, he’s moved round to sit on the bed before her, his hands spinning the chair softly so she’s facing him.

“Hey, Felicity I just met you this morning and I think you’re one of the most incredible women I know. My life though, it’s complicated,” He tells her gently and she snorts at his words.

“Yeah, you run around shooting arrows in people under the cover of night,” She smiles softly, shaking her head as her eyes track over him.

“You seem less scared and angry at that than I thought you would be,” Oliver frowns, Diggle’s reaction still playing in the back of his mind.

Felicity frowns, clearly thinking deeply for a moment, before her brow unfurls a little and she paints a gentle smile across her face as she looks at him.

“I don’t approve of you killing people, I don’t approve of anyone killing another human, but I can read your connections. I know that you’re a good person at heart, and, why ever it is that you feel the need to do what you do, I feel pretty confident that it’s for a good reason.”

She speaks slowly as if she’s figuring it out in her mind too and Oliver freezes at her words. He knows that Felicity understands people, that’s clear from the way she talks about her ability, so to have her vote of confidence… it means more than he can explain.

“I think you’re better at the connection thing than you think you are,” He comments in a thick voice, feeling very proud as Felicity freezes for a moment before a sincere smile spreads across her face. Their eyes lock and Oliver sighs, contentedness spreading through him as he stares into the eyes of this woman… this woman who has seen through him so clearly.

The moment is interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing and it takes Oliver a moment to realize it’s his. He winces as he tugs it out to see that it’s Thea, knowing that it’s been a long time for his family to go without any news of his whereabouts after something as dangerous as the auction. 

“That’s my family, they’re probably wondering where I am,” He explains with a wince, declining the call but knowing he needs to get back to the mansion soon.

“You should go,” Felicity tells him gently and Oliver frowns, turning to look at him.

“Are you sure? I feel this is an unfinished conversation,” He tells her but Felicity just shrugs.

“It is, but we’re unfinished too. One step at a time?” She asks with a soft smile, holding her hand out and Oliver laughs, reaching out to shake it.

There’s something lingering in the air, a promise of the _future_ that lies before them, and Oliver smiles, knowing that this is just the start for them.

To have something to look forward to… that’s something he hasn’t had in a while.

“That sounds perfect,” He tells her before scooping up his phone and smiling at her. He waits for her to nod before he moves to the window, opening it up and climbing out.

“Be careful!” Felicity calls as he swings out to grip onto the drainpipe next to it.

“Me? Always,” He replies with a grin and a wink before he makes his way down, the image of Felicity’s smile burned in his mind and a lightness to him that he hasn’t felt in a while.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity officially meets John Diggle, Moira Queen, and she and Oliver share an evening filled with burgers, warmth, and connection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, welcome back to another chapter! I hope you're all keeping safe and well still and that your loved ones are also as such. I hope you enjoy this update and if you're so included, let me know by leaving a kudos and/or comment, they make my day!

Felicity doesn’t know what she expects the next few weeks to look like, but it isn’t what she gets.

She throws herself into her own research, trying to find any evidence that what she’s experiencing with Oliver has happened before.

Being able to touch a connection? It’s the strangest and most incredible feeling in the world. Being privy to the world beneath the mundane is one thing, to be able to see what binds people together is such a beautiful gift and one that Felicity treasures. But actually wrapping her hand around that opal connection, feeling the way it tugs on the innermost part of her soul? That’s indescribable.

She reads everything she can about the history of soulmate bonds, but she can only find one source that mentions anything about Felicity’s new ability. Soulmates and those with the sight are rare entities so for one person to be blessed with both gifts is an incredibly exceptional thing. It baffles Felicity a little to find that out, she’s always known that her ability makes her special, but she just feels like a below-average person most of the time.

The one source she does find is interesting, however.

She digs it out from the digital archive of the British Libraries, circumventing their security with ease. The source, which is a text from around 650 BC on one of the Grecian islands, details a woman who had the ability to communicate with the woman she loved seemingly without talking. The women were hailed as lovers, renowned for their ability, and the woman was cited to have spoken of being able to see bright ribbons that attached each person to those they loved. She described the bond between herself and her lover as a blinding white that had been blessed by the goddess of the rainbow, Iris, to shimmer with the colors of her powers.

That thought makes Felicity smile as she looks down at the opal ribbon that attaches her to Oliver. It’s beautifully apt, the Greeks believed that Iris was the personification of the rainbow and that the brightly colored refractions of light that line the sky when rain meets sun were actually the goddess delivering messages from the gods. Her rainbow connects her to the man she is destined to be joined with in every way. There’s something very poetic about that.

Things for Felicity aren’t so simple, however. The person at the end of her soulmate connection is not a simple farmer’s daughter and she and Oliver do not live in a small rural community in the 7th century BC.

The concept of this all is a little hard for Felicity to wrap her head around too. She understands that she and Oliver are connected by something far deeper and greater than either of them can ever understand and she learned a long time ago that the connections are the greatest judge of character. To simply accept that after everything she’s been through, however, is proving difficult. The last time she opened her heart to someone, it ended badly, and her father was the only man she loved before that. Those two once bright connections that now lay black and dull by her heart remind her to tread cautiously every day.

Oliver Queen is a baffling man.

Billionaire charmer by day and Robin Hood wannabe by night. His crusade on the city is something Felicity cannot even begin to understand and whilst her words to him about believing that his intentions are good were true, she’s struggling to reconcile the masked vigilante with the man who can make her heart flutter like a teenager.

If she’d had a normal teenage experience that is.

She learns over the weeks following her discovery of Oliver’s secret that he’s a bit of a flight risk.

She can tell that he’s trying, they text a lot and he’s refreshingly plain with her. He’s a charmer and that comes out to play often, but he’s also clearly trying to be honest and straight. But he wasn’t wrong when he said that his life is complicated.

Oliver Queen is a man who wears a lot of different hats and he’s trying to juggle them all making sure that things don’t get tangled and confused. He has no one he can just be himself with, lay everything out on the table, and not have to hide another part of him from. He’s a brother, a friend, a son, a new business owner, a billionaire in the public eye, a _vigilante…_

It doesn’t take the sight, however, for Felicity to see that underneath all of those roles, Oliver is a man who survived five years of hell, five years that changed him fundamentally as a person, and has been dropped back in the middle of his old life and pretty much been asked to resume it as if those five years didn’t happen.

That’s a lot for a person to take and Felicity doesn’t want to add to that load. She doesn’t want to be another obligation to him, someone he feels he has to please. She wants to support him in any way that she can because whilst she believes that the universe can’t dictate everything, she can’t deny the innate connection and admiration she feels for Oliver.

That’s why she agrees to help when he drops into her office.

There’s a sheepish smile on his face like he’s a little embarrassed to be there, but Felicity smiles brightly at him, it only widening when she spots his bodyguard next to him as well.

Oliver caught her up with the saga of his new accomplice over text last night. She assured him the line was secure (this isn’t her first rodeo) and she chuckled as she read all about how John Diggle had initially been resistant but has now signed on as a full-time member of Oliver’s crusade.

To see the two men in the doorway of her office brings a smile to her face.

“Well, if it isn’t Starling City’s answer to Robin Hood and Little John,” She grins, her face falling when Oliver raises an eyebrow. “Oh, come on! That’s funny, his name’s literally John.”

She shakes her head amusedly at her own joke, smiling at the fact that after all her research and staring intently at their connection, it’s not painful to be around Oliver anymore. She’s got a slight headache from the combined brightness of Oliver and Mr. Diggle’s connections but it’s nothing too bad and she knows from experience it will fade pretty quickly once they leave.

“I didn’t introduce myself properly at the auction. John Diggle, a pleasure to meet you, Miss Smoak,” The bodyguard chuckles, clearly amused by her joke even if Oliver isn’t, and he steps forward to extend his hand.

“Felicity Smoak, _wow_ that’s a grip. Your arms are very impressive,” Felicity finds herself saying before her eyes widen as she realizes she’s spoken aloud. Mr. Diggle just chuckles however and a glance to Oliver shows that he’s hiding a smile too.

“Thank you. So, you’re clued in on the secret identity?” The tall bodyguard asks with a warm smile as he steps back. Felicity smiles as she watches their bond (which formed the other week at the gala) gains a light purple tinge.

“Can’t get much past these eyes,” Felicity grins, tapping her temple with preening tilt of her shoulders.

“Felicity has the sight,” Oliver explains when Diggle frowns and Felicity smiles a little sheepishly when he turns an impressed look on her.

“You do?” He questions, clear amazement on his face, and Felicity smiles.

“Uh-huh, that’s a very nice set of connections you’ve got there, Mr. Diggle,” She nods with a small smirk, looking at his connections properly. There are a few black ribbons, nowhere near as many as Oliver has, but there are a few. What has her intrigued, however, is the soulmate bond she noticed the other day. Soulmates are rare and to have three people with one in the same room? She’s sure that’s probably a rather exceptional circumstance.

“It’s a lifelong art piece,” Diggle replies with a smirk, and Felicity laughs, nodding her head. She decides at that moment she likes John Diggle, he’s funny and chill and she can tell from his connections that he’s someone who loves deeply with a lot of relationships rooted in respect.

“Felicity discovered my secret the same night you did actually, Diggle,” Oliver explains and Felicity chuckles when Diggle’s expression morphs into one of disbelief. 

“Seriously? The same night?”

“Doesn’t say much for the strength of my secret identity,” Oliver shrugs with a small smirk and Felicity snorts.

“Your disguise is a hoodie and some greasepaint. Do more, arrow man,” She comments with a smirk, patting Oliver on the chest as she passes him on the way back to her desk.

She hears Diggle snort and as she spins around, she spots the shocked but amused expression on Oliver’s. Pride settles in her chest; she likes knowing she’s brightened his day a little.

“Is there a reason you’re here? Not that I’m not happy to see you but… wait, am I being invited into the club?” Felicity questions with a bright smile, looking between the two of them with an excited wiggle in her seat.

“No,” The both of them respond in tandem, vehemence in their tones and Felicity pouts.

“You’re no fun,” She comments with a shake of her hand. Sure, she’s no ex-soldier but she’s tough. She can handle herself.

“We could use your help though,” Oliver tells her softly and Felicity smiles, turning to her laptop to pull up her internet browser.

“Ah, I am resuming my job as personal internet researcher for Oliver Queen,” She comments with a smirk, pausing as she looks up to see Diggle smirking at her and Oliver raising a teasing eyebrow. “Happily, of course.”

Felicity gives them the information they’re looking for on Derek Reston and keeps a trail on them as they attempt to take down the bank robbers, her heart sinking as she realizes that the man was fatally shot. She sends Oliver a text, telling him that she’s here if he wants to talk about it, and busies herself waiting for a reply as she turns her attention to her other new line of research.

She had been surprised when Walter had called her up to his office a couple of weeks ago. The request to look into his wife’s investments was an odd one and the fact that she is somehow finding herself caught up in Oliver’s family’s affairs is not lost on Felicity. Walter hasn’t said anything to her since she handed over the information about the LLC, Tempest, and the warehouse purchased in 2009 but Felicity knows there’s something more there. She can smell it, there’s a mystery there.

She’s at home, looking into the money transfer again when her phone buzzes with a response from Oliver.

_How do you feel about a burger?_

_You’re speaking my language, Queen._

_Big Belly? Twenty minutes?_

_Consider me there._

She smiles, taking a deep breath as she tries to calm the nerves that suddenly flutter in her stomach.

It’s just a burger, she can do a burger. Swallowing thickly with a determined nod, she slips her dark contacts in and stands from her desk.

She spends way too long obsessing over whether she should change, going back and forth in her head about whether she should even be thinking about changing before she realizes that she’s probably going to be late and ends up sticking with her purple cardigan and white skirt anyway. She grabs her purse and a coat and heads out the door, hopping into her Mini Cooper and driving the short distance to the burger joint. (She definitely lives close enough to walk but she’s also a young woman living in a pretty dangerous part of the city and she would like to keep her phone and her wallet, thank you very much).

Oliver is sat by the window in a booth and Felicity feels her heart skip a beat when he looks up and a smile lights up his face at the sight of her. Simultaneously, their connection begins to glow, shimmering even more than usual.

One of her favorite things over the past few weeks has been noting that their connection does this to a lesser extent, sparkles and glows, when one of them is thinking of the other. It’s sweet and it makes her smile to know that she’s been on Oliver’s mind.

She’s so concentrated on Oliver as she makes her way over to the booth, that she doesn’t realize he’s sat with someone until she reaches him.

There, looking entirely out of place in a burger joint in the Glades, is Moira Queen. Hair perfectly curled, sat up perfectly straight, but smiling affectionately at her son. It’s a rare glimpse into the woman behind the mask, the mother behind the businesswoman, and Felicity cannot help but smile as she notes the caramel-colored connection between mother and son, glowing with affection.

Her nerves return when Moira notices her and the woman’s mask immediately flies back on. She looks Felicity over with curiosity, clearly wondering what she’s doing here at their table, and Felicity takes a deep breath, smiling nervously at Oliver.

“Hey Felicity,” He greets her with a warm smile that settles her nerves a little. He reaches out, squeezing her arm comfortingly and Felicity takes a deep breath, allowing it to comfort her.

“Who is this?” Moira questions, her perfectly shaped eyebrow raised as she looks between them, her eyes lingering on Oliver’s hand which he doesn’t move from her arm.

“Mom, meet Felicity Smoak,” Oliver introduces and Felicity smiles a little sheepishly, extending her hand. The matriarch shakes it and Felicity is momentarily distracted as the usual ribbons grow from their chests, joining to make a plain connection.

“Smoak. Where do I know that name?” Moira questions as they release hands and Felicity’s eyebrows furrow, her nerves worsening.

“I doubt you know me, Mrs. Queen, I’m just a lowly IT girl,” Felicity dismisses, seriously hoping that Walter hasn’t told his wife that _she_ was the one he asked to look into her accounts. That would be all kinds of awkward.

“IT? At Queen Consolidated?” Moira questions, her eyebrows rising, and Felicity feels her stomach twist.

“Yes, ma’am,” She confirms, and recognition covers the woman’s face.

“Oh, you’re that girl Walter was talking about, said you’re one of the brightest minds we have. Are you helping Oliver with something?” She confirms, a polite smile on her face, and Felicity relaxes a little. Moira doesn’t seem to hate her, so it seems Walter hasn’t shared the specifics.

“Um…” The question about whether she’s helping Oliver throws Felicity off. She and Oliver haven’t really spoken about what it is _they_ are past taking things slowly and she doesn’t know what story Oliver wants to tell his family. She winces a little, turning to Oliver in desperation but he just smiles reassuringly, looking to his mother.

“No, Mom, Felicity helped me out with my laptop a few weeks ago but we’re just going to hang out for a bit,” Oliver explains, and Felicity feels her heart tug a little. She wouldn’t have blamed Oliver for taking the offered excuse, this thing between them is still so new, but it feels nice to know that he doesn’t want to lie to his family about them.

She doesn’t know why, but that feels like a step in the right direction.

“Oh. I see,” Moira answers diplomatically, though Felicity can feel her cold and judgemental gaze sweep over her like an icy breeze. She’s clearly less enthused by the idea of them hanging out than Oliver is, and she stands, collecting her coat and pulling it on. “Well, I’ll see you at home, darling. Miss Smoak,” She nods to them both, her eyes lingering on where Oliver’s hand is still wrapped around Felicity’s arm before she shakes her head and leaves the restaurant.

“You could’ve told me your mom was going to be here!” Felicity hisses as she tugs her arm away from Oliver and slips into the seat Moira just vacated. Her eyes widen as she stares at him and Oliver chuckles, shaking his head.

“I thought she might have already left in my defense, I didn’t want to worry you unnecessarily. Sorry she was cold,” He tells her with a wince and Felicity relaxes a little, shaking her head. She can tell he’s genuinely worried she’s upset, which she’s not, but a forewarning _would_ have been nice.

“Oliver, she was never going to be warm. Thank you for not taking the excuse she offered,” She tells him, her voice softening as she smiles at him a little nervously.

“I don’t want to hide you, Felicity. That’s not what this is,” Oliver waves her off, smiling at her too when their eyes meet, a moment of silence passing between them as Felicity feels something settle contently in her chest.

“I was honestly just worried she knew something about what Walter asked me to do the other week,” Felicity explains with a shake of her head, trying to remove the memory of Moira’s cold expression.

“Walter?” Oliver questions with a raised eyebrow and Felicity frowns, racking her brain back through their text conversations.

“Did I not tell you about that? He asked me to look into something for him, an abnormality in the accounts. Turns out, it was a transaction your mother made,” She clarifies, remembering that she thought it was a little convoluted to explain over text and therefore had refrained from explaining to Oliver.

“My mother?” Oliver asked with a raised eyebrow and Felicity nods.

“Setting up an offshore LLC called Tempest. But here’s the thing, the only evidence of it is the purchase of a warehouse here in Starling,” She elaborates, her brow furrowing a little as Oliver’s interest clearly piques. She freezes for a moment, wondering if she should be telling him this, but their connection glows with a slightly blue tinge and she knows she doesn’t want to keep secrets from him.

“A warehouse?”

“Walter said he’s dealing with it and he’s said nothing since… I don’t know, there’s something off about it though,” Felicity shakes her head, that niggling thought in the back of her head. It’s the same thing she felt when she met Oliver, knowing he wasn’t what he seemed, and that feeling hasn’t proved her wrong yet.

“Off how?” Oliver asks, an eyebrow raised and Felicity frowns for a moment. She doesn’t have any evidence, _yet,_ and there’s no point in worrying Oliver over nothing.

“It’s just odd. I’m sure it’s nothing,” She reassures him with a small, calm smile. “So, I guess you’ve already eaten?”

“Sorry, is this weird? I should’ve just asked you tomorrow or something,” Oliver frowns, shifting awkwardly and it’s so _sweet,_ it has Felicity melting.

“No, no, this is lovely, I love Big Belly. But you have to share with me, okay?” She smiles at him, her heart and their connection glowing when he settles and a smile spreads across his face.

“I can do that,” He assures her and Felicity nods, reaching for the menu even though she knows she’s going to order the same thing she always does.

What ensues is the best evening Felicity’s had in a long time.

Oliver steals her fries, his eyes sparkling with amusement every time he does, and Felicity tries to stop him every time, even though she told him they should share. He orders a soda and she teases him over his apparent milkshake aversion. He shakes his head amusedly at her but steals sips of her chocolate milkshake with a chuckle to her astonished reaction.

Their conversation flows so easily, and Felicity finds herself divulging things she’s never been close enough to anyone to tell, not since… no, she refuses to think about him right now.

She tells Oliver about growing up in Vegas, how her mother is incredible but exhausting, that she admires her tutor Lucinda for everything she gave to Felicity and the doors she helped open for her. She tells him about how scared she was to move to MIT but how incredible it felt to finally be out in the world and how it helped her get used to being in public places. She refrains from talking about her father or her heartbreak at MIT, not wanting to fall apart in public, but sharing her memories, her childhood, with him, brings her a joy she never could have imagined. She feels safe with him, like she knows those precious memories are protected.

She’s rewarded with stories of Oliver’s own childhood. She laughs as he tells her of pranks he pulled with Tommy and melts as he speaks of how much he has always adored being a big brother to Thea. Oliver blushes considerably as he recounts his exploits before the island, clearly irritated at the actions of his past self but Felicity feels her heart glow at the fact he’s still willing to share those stories with her. he speaks of learning to cook with their housekeeper, Raisa, as a teenager and using his skills on the girls at school.

As they talk, Felicity has to force herself to not be distracted by their bond. The opal ribbon shimmers almost as brightly as it did when they first met, each of the colors Felicity can see within the twisting bond growing in intensity and shining brighter. It makes her smile to see the visible evidence of their bond getting deeper as she simultaneously feels it in her heart.

“And it was so funny because… What?” Felicity stops mid-sentence, noticing that Oliver is staring at her with an expression she can’t quite discern. He’s leaning his head on his hand, a small smile on his face, but there’s something in her eyes she can’t work out… no one has ever looked at her like that. “Oh lord, do I have something on my face?”

Oliver laughs at that, the sound tugging at that now familiar feeling within Felicity. He shakes his head, smiling at her with affection shining in his eyes. “No, not at all. You’re just beautiful is all.”

“Oh,” Felicity blinks, her eyes widening for a moment as she feels a deep blush cover her cheeks. She’s never had anyone call her beautiful, apart from her mother that is and as much as Felicity loves her, she knows she’s a bit biased. To hear Oliver call her such… it scares her as much as it elicits something warm within her… makes her feel loved. “Thank you.”

“Felicity… you don’t have to thank me for speaking the truth,” Oliver chuckles with a shake of his head but his eyes are still shining with that affection that tugs at her heart.

“I can see why you have such a reputation for being a charmer. You’re not so bad yourself,” Felicity counters as she forces herself to not shy away. She can feel how hot her cheeks are, knowing that she’s blushing as bright red as a tomato, but she stays her gaze, smirking at Oliver.

“Oh, really?” Oliver grins with a quirk of his eyebrow and Felicity giggles, biting her lip.

“Maybe,” She shrugs with a preening tilt of her shoulders and Oliver laughs, their eyes locking once more. Felicity’s smile softens in time with his, their eyes both conveying how _amazed_ they are at how natural it feels. The bond shimmers in a pink color and Felicity sighs contently, baffled but so grateful for how her heart glows.

“Thank you for coming. I’ve had the best time I’ve had in a long time,” Oliver tells her with a smile, and Felicity grins.

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing,” She replies with a smirk, and Oliver chuckles, that same expression lingering on his face.

“Can I take you home?” He asks softly and Felicity feels those nerves twist in her stomach, but she takes a deep breath, forcing herself to be logical.

“I drove here,” She explains with a small frown but Oliver just shrugs.

“I’ll have to call a driver anyway; Mom will have taken the car. But I can just call him from here if you’re not comfortable?” Oliver questions, gesturing to his phone which sits on the table and Felicity takes a deep breath.

“No, I’d… I’d like that,” She assures him, nodding her head, and she’s rewarded with the most adorable smile painting its way across Oliver’s face.

“Okay,” He nods, and they grin at each other for a moment before they both laugh. Oliver shakes his head, standing and gently taking Felicity’s coat to hold it out for her. She blushes but rises, smiling bashfully as she slips her arms through the holes and she tries to keep the volume of her gasp under control as Oliver smooths his hands over her shoulders once he’s pulled the thick material up.

The contact is over almost as soon as it’s begun and it’s far less direct than his hand on her arm had been earlier but there’s something so intimate about the action of him helping her into her coat. It stirs something within her, and she sighs softly, mystified but delighted at the contentedness she feels.

Oliver smiles warmly at her and they make their way out to the parking lot. Felicity hasn’t considered the size of her Mini Cooper before, because she’s a relatively small human that fits perfectly with ample space around her. Oliver, however, is six foot of practically pure muscle and Felicity finds herself fighting a deep, belly laugh as she watches him struggle to fold his body into the passenger seat of her beloved little car.

“Don’t laugh, Smoak,” He huffs as he settles into the seat, his shoulders slumping to fit his head in properly as he shuts the door.

“Sorry,” Felicity winces but she can’t stop the laugh that bubbles out of her as Oliver settles his legs and his knees appear to be up by his shoulders. 

“And she still laughs,” Oliver shakes his head but the smile on his face tells Felicity that’s he’s not actually that bothered. She starts the ignition and pulls away, starting the familiar journey from the burger joint to her townhouse. “Your car is too small.”

“I’d argue you’re too large… _tall…_ not that you’re not large in other areas… I mean… oh google, please just do me a favor and sew my mouth shut, _please,”_ Felicity starts, before her brow furrows and she shakes her head, huffing annoyedly at herself. She really wishes her brain could sort itself out sometimes and not embarrass her.

“That would be far less amusing for me though,” Oliver chuckles and Felicity takes her eyes off the road for a moment to narrow her eyes at him.

“Insulting your soulmate, Queen, interesting choice,” She teases with a grin, quirking her head before she concentrates back on driving safely through the streets. She notes out of the corner of her eye that the yellow is their bond is glowing more brightly than usual and she smiles at the deepening friendship aspect of their connection it demonstrates.

“I believe it’s called teasing, though I am no relationship expert,” Oliver counters with a chuckle and Felicity shrugs her shoulders.

“I think you’re the one with more experience in this car,” She comments as she pulls onto her street, concentrating on parallel parking outside her house. Oliver stays silent whilst she does so, and Felicity is grateful because she’s not the greatest at it.

“I get the feeling you’re going to be completely different from anything I’ve ever experienced before, Smoak,” Oliver tells her with a gentle smile once she kills the ignition and Felicity feels those nerves spin in her stomach as she looks at him. “In the best way of course.”

“Of course,” She responds with a gentle yet nervous smile, trying to keep the levity to her voice even she cannot help but marvel at how _unique_ this man and the two of them together are. Before she loses herself in it, she takes a deep breath and gestures to the house through the car window. “This is me.”

Oliver looks down at his phone for a moment before he nods and turns his charming smile back to Felicity. “Diggle’s on his way, can I walk you to the door?”

“Sure,” Felicity nods with a bashful smile, holding his gaze for a moment before she chuckles and undoes her seatbelt, climbing out the car. She laughs again as Oliver struggles to unfold himself from the seat, stumbling out onto the pavement with a lack of grace Felicity never would have associated with the vigilante. He narrows his eyes at her teasingly with a warning look, but she just continues to laugh, the two of them falling into step as they walk up the steps before her small house.

“Thank you again for coming,” Oliver tells her as they stand face to face outside the house.

“I had a wonderful time, thank you for asking me,” Felicity reiterates, rising onto her toes before letting her heels fall back to the ground.

“This all feels very high school,” Oliver chuckles, gesturing between the two of them, and Felicity frowns, knowing what he means in concept (she’s seen the movies). Her high school experience, however, was Lucinda’s house twice or thrice a week and then studying alone by herself in her room for the rest of it.

“I wouldn’t know,” She comments with a small shrug and understanding registers on Oliver’s face as he nods before his expression grows a little more serious, but still remains tender.

“All I know is… you make me feel something I never have, for anyone, and I don’t know what that means. My life is… beyond complicated but being with you? That’s easy,” He tells her, his eyes shining with that same amazement from earlier and Felicity feels it swell in her own heart too. She’s astounded at how simple she finds being with Oliver and, whilst she’s still incredibly cautious after the heartbreaks she’s suffered, she wants to try.

She hasn’t felt like that in a long time.

“I have never had a normal life; never done the whole dating thing in the way most people have. My ability is a gift but it’s also a hindrance. People can find me odd and social situations are complicated to say the least but with you? I feel completely and utterly normal in the best way possible,” Felicity replies honestly, feeling her eyes begin to water with the starts of tears as she watches their bond thrum with energy, almost beating with an invisible heart. She takes a deep breath, shaking her head as she forces herself to think logically too, the part of her that relies on it taking over. “We do need to talk about the other stuff though.”

“Other stuff?” Oliver questions with a raised eyebrow and Felicity frowns, looking down the street to check there’s no one looking.

“You know…" She whispers before she pulls her arms up in a bad impression of shooting an arrow, completing it all by making a gentle *thwick* sound.

“Ah yes,” Oliver nods amusedly, copying her actions and making the *thwick* sound as well. Felicity laughs and it prompts Oliver to as well, both of them giggling on the stoop of her house like teenagers. She takes a few deep breathes, getting her breathing under control, before she levels Oliver with a serious expression of her own.

“I’m not the kind of girl who’s going to sit on the side lines and wait for you to get hurt, Oliver. I’m not saying it needs to be today or even next week, but we need to address it,” She tells him honestly, watching his face grow more thoughtful before he nods too.

“As soon as I get it sorted out up here? You’ll be the first to know, I promise,” He responds with a tap to his temple and Felicity reassures him with a smile, nodding her head.

“That’s all I ask,” She tells him gently and that contented feeling settles through her once more as he nods at her with a small, gentle, but nervous smile.

The bond between them thrums and Felicity does what she’s been resisting doing all night; she reaches out and wraps her hand around it. She doesn’t tug like she did the first time but instead just allows herself to feel that pure energy in her hand. She allows it to fill her soul, spreading to the places within her that no one has touched before, the places that before now, have been purely for herself. Her eyes slip closed for a moment, allowing her to revel in the pure bliss that spreads through her, and when she opens them with a deep breath, it’s to see Oliver staring at her with an expression filled with affection and wonder.

The moment is interrupted by the sound of a car horn and Felicity jolts, a small squeak leaving her mouth as she jumps. She was so wrapped up in that bliss, she forgot for a moment they’re stood on her stoop in the middle of the city.

She really needs to get a hold of herself around Oliver.

“That’s Diggle,” Oliver explains with a reassuring smile and Felicity takes a deep breath to calm herself, looking out to the street to see that Diggle is indeed sat in the driver’s seat of a sleek black town car, the window rolled down.

He gives Felicity a wave and an apologetic smile, making Felicity smile as she waves back at the tall man. She thinks Diggle is a wonderful man, from the few interactions she’s had with him, and she knows Oliver trusts him with everything in him. It makes her feel better about him going out onto the streets when she sees the boysenberry ribbon that connects the two men and seems to get brighter every day.

“Thank you again for a lovely night,” Felicity smiles gently as she turns back to Oliver and he smiles down at her, that handsome face even more devastating in the gentle light of the streetlamps.

“Goodnight, Felicity,” He tells her softly, holding his arms out and raising his eyebrow in a clear request for a hug.

“Goodnight, Oliver,” She whispers and steps up to him, looping her arms under his shoulders as she stands on her toes to raise herself to the right height. Her head settles in the crook of his neck as his large arms settle around her small frame, holding her tightly but not suffocating her. It’s supportive and warm and _safe_ and it blows Felicity away for a moment due to how natural it all feels. Felicity notes the way their bond wraps around them, encasing them in their connection to one another and she thinks, just maybe, this might be the place she would like to stay for the rest of her life.

They pull back after a moment, both of them smiling gently at each other and Felicity takes a deep breath before she rises onto her toes once more, pressing a gentle kiss to Oliver’s cheek. She finds it totally adorable as a blush paints its way across his cheeks and with a bright smile, she turns towards her door, fishing her key out her purse.

“Goodnight,” She whispers gently with a smile before she lets herself in, lingering on the way Oliver’s smile permeates through her until the door shuts behind her. She lets out a deep breath, unable to wipe her own bright smile from her face, leaning back against the wood of the door for a moment as she takes it all in.

What a wonderful night.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity gets a call from an unexpected person, prompting her to help Oliver when a certain Bertinelli begins to seek her revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I hope your week's been good! Here's another chapter of these babies, thank you so much for your love and feedback, it means so much to me. If you enjoy this chapter, please leave a kudos and/or comment if you're so inclined, they make my day! 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: this chapter contains some description of a panic attack, though it is not too explicit. If this may be triggering for you, please don't read the first part of this chapter! After the line break is completely safe.

It’s a few days later when Felicity’s phone buzzes on her desk just as she’s getting ready to take her lunch break.

She frowns at the sight of the unfamiliar number. It’s rare she gets calls on her personal phone from anyone other than her mother, Lucinda, and more recently, Oliver.

“Won’t know unless you answer it, Smoak,” She tells herself with a roll of her eyes, reaching for the phone and answering it.

“Felicity?” A familiar voice questions and Felicity frowns as she tries to place it, her eyes widening a little as she realizes who it is.

“Mr. Diggle?” She questions to confirm, her frown deepening as her head starts whirling with reasons why the bodyguard might be calling her.

“It’s me. I need you to come to the hospital,” He tells her gently and that sends Felicity into a panic.

“The hospital? Is Oliver okay?” She questions, her voice rising in pitch as something deep and sinister wraps its way around her heart, gripping it painfully at the thought of Oliver being badly hurt.

“He’s not hurt, his mother was shot at. She’s okay but Oliver… he’s freaking out, no one can calm him down,” Diggle reassures her and Felicity takes a deep breath, her panic turning into sympathy as she realizes what’s going on. Oliver fights so hard to protect this city and those he cares about. For his mother to be hurt… she knows that must be eating him apart.

“And you think I’ll be able to,” She responds simply, not posing it as a question but instead a statement. She knows that she probably can talk Oliver down a little. It hasn’t been very long but she’s beginning to really understand him, as complex of a man as he is.

“You understand him and he told me about the soulmate thing. I think you might be able to help,” John tells her and she can hear the pleading tone in his voice. That, combined with the way something within her is screaming to go to Oliver, has Felicity collecting her stuff and heading out the door of her office.

“I’m on my way,” She confirms to John before she hangs up the phone, rushing down to the parking lot and climbing in her Mini Cooper. Feeling helpless and late, she wraps her hand around their bond before she holds onto the steering wheel, hoping that the tautness on the bond will let him know she’s with him.

She knows that Oliver cannot see the bond but she knows he’s been able to feel it before when she’s pulled on it, she just hopes that he’s not too far in his head to feel it now. She hopes that it can ground him in the way that it’s helped to ground her over the past weeks since they met.

Arriving at the hospital, she flies into a parking space and rushes inside, grateful that her phone almost simultaneously flashes with a text from John telling her that they’re on the top floor. Thanking the man’s foresight, she rushes into the elevator and heads up to the highest floor of the building, keeping her hand wrapped around the bond in the most inconspicuous way she can.

“Felicity!” Diggle calls when he spots her and Felicity rushes over.

“Mr. Diggle! Where is he?” She questions and John sighs, walking her around the corner to a dead-end in the corridor. Sat there, in the middle of the floor is Oliver, with who Felicity knows to be his little sister Thea sat a few feet away, clearly desperate in her attempts to calm him.

Oliver looks like hell. There’s no other way to describe it. He’s slumped against the wall, his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. His breathing is slightly erratic and he looks like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, which Felicity knows is exactly how he feels.

“He calmed a little just after I called you. I don’t know if it was because he knew you were on the way or what, but it seemed to help,” Diggle whispers to her and Felicity smiles sadly, glad that tugging on the connection seemed to help a little.

She smiles at Diggle, nodding her head before she takes a deep breath and starts to make her way towards him.

“Miss Queen,” She hears Diggle prompt and Thea frowns, looking between Diggle and Felicity curiously, but she stands and moves out the way, following Diggle back around the corner and leaving Felicity with Oliver. She can hear Thea begin to question Diggle but she blocks them out, gently sliding to her knees in front of where Oliver’s sat.

“Oliver, hey, it’s Felicity,” She tells him gently, keeping her voice soft but loud enough that it’ll permeate through whatever’s going on in his head.

“Sorry,” He mumbles under his breath, staring down at the floor still and Felicity frowns.

“You don’t have to be sorry about anything. Can you look at me?” She asks softly, keeping her voice light and feeling her heart beating quickly in her chest. It takes a moment, but Oliver looks up, and the expression on his face almost shatters her heart.

He looks so lost, so scared and confused. His eyes are practically pleading, tear tracks down his face, and eyes still brimming with water. It stirs something deep within Felicity, a want to help, to take that pain away, to make it all better.

“Work?” He suddenly questions and it takes Felicity a moment to realize that he’s asking her why she’s not still at QC. She can see the panic begin to thrum through him again, clearly worried he’s dragged her away from her job (not that she does much important there anyway).

“I’m on lunch, we’re all good,” She reassures him with a warm smile, relaxing a little with him when his shoulders slump and he nods. She looks him over, noting that her pulling on the bond seems to have dragged him away from too bad of a panic attack, but that he’s clearly still struggling to breathe properly. “Can I take your hand, Oliver?”

He looks a little surprised at the question but he nods, staring at their hands when Felicity entwines them, watching the way their fingers slip together easily. What he can’t see is the way their bond wraps around where their hands join, trying to comfort him seemingly in its own way. Moving slowly, Felicity lifts their hands, bringing them to her chest and placing Oliver’s down on it so that he can feel her breathing. She raises an eyebrow in question as she lifts her free hand to his own chest, only placing it against the fabric of his t-shirt after he gives her a small and almost indiscernible nod.

“Try and breathe with me, that’s it, in… good, now out… that’s it… you’re doing so well,” She guides him through, the panic within her settling as Oliver’s breathing starts to slow to a more normal rate and the tension in his body begins to lessen.

He leans in towards her hand on his chest, spinning his hand underneath hers to loop his fingers through hers once more. He manages a small, grateful smile at her but Felicity just smiles at him, knowing that he owes her no thanks. She’s here for him, no matter what it is he needs, and as their connection begins to glow a golden caramel color, she knows that he’s beginning to understand that.

“Better?” She asks softly, lifting her hand from his chest to gently brush some of his hair away from his face. Her touch is soft and tender and it makes her heart glow with affection to see that Oliver leans into it, seeking it out.

“Thank you,” He whispers with a nod but Felicity just shakes her head.

“Of course. Do you want a hug? Not to brag, but my mom says I’m pretty good at them,” She teases with a small smile, feeling pretty proud of herself when the sides of Oliver’s lips quirk just a little. He then swallows thickly before nodding, his legs extending down to open his personal space up to her, and Felicity smiles, reaching forward and curling her arms around him.

She squeaks a little as she’s suddenly tugged closer but she goes happily as Oliver pulls her into his lap and practically surrounds her. His large arms engulf her but he bends at the neck, burying his hand against her collarbone and pulling her body completely flush to his. After the shock wears off, Felicity sighs contently and relaxes into him, wrapping his large body in her small. She hopes he feels even a little bit as safe as she does in his arms because it’s one of the most comforting things she’s ever experienced in her life.

As it did the other night on her porch, their connection loops its way around them, encasing them in their pure light and bond. The caramel color for support had been shimmering earlier but now, as they hold each other, the entire spectrum of their connection seems to glisten and Felicity delights in its beauty as it sheathes them.

“What happened to your mom, it’s not your fault. You know that, right?” Felicity asks him after a few minutes, once she feels the tension completely dissolve from his shoulders.

“I just… why do I do what I do if I can’t even protect those I love?” Oliver questions, digging his head out from his collarbone to look up at her with a heart-breaking expression. Felicity can tell that this is eating him up and all she wants is to be able to reassure him that it’s all going to be okay.

“We live in a dangerous city, Oliver. You’re never going to be able to predict every bad thing that might happen and your loved ones don’t love you simply because you can protect them. Hell, half of them don’t even know that you can protect them. You can’t stop everything bad from happening to them, no matter how much you want to try. But you know what you can do?”

“What?” Oliver asks, leaning into where Felicity gently brushes her fingers down his face.

“Be with them and support them when the bad stuff does happen. Hold their hands and show them that they have your support. That’s the important thing,” She explains to him gently, knowing that after her dad left, what she needed from her mom was for her to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay. That was far more important than anything she could’ve done to stop him from leaving in the first place.

“I suppose you’re right,” Oliver tells him and a sheepish expression and Felicity smiles at that, working up the nerve to reach out with her thumb and properly wipe the tears away from his face.

“It’s been known to happen. Now, what do you say to getting up off this hospital corridor floor and going to give your baby sister a hug?” She suggests, standing up off his lap and holding out her hand. She saw how desperate Thea was to get through to him earlier and she knows the poor girl must be losing her mind with worry, especially with her mother in the hospital bed in the next room as well.

Oliver stares at her outstretched hand for a moment before taking a deep breath and taking it. He stands mostly by himself, his weight a little too much for Felicity to carry on her own, but he smiles sadly at her as he entwines their fingers once he’s on his feet.

“Ollie! You’re okay!” Thea cries as she flies into Oliver’s arms as they round the corner. Felicity smiles and steps back, letting go of Oliver’s hand as he wraps his baby sister tightly in a hug.

It makes Felicity smile to see just how deep Oliver’s bonds with his family run. She knows it from observing his connections but seeing it in person is something else. Thea and Oliver’s ribbon is a juniper green that sparkles as they hold each other, clearly a result of years of love and Oliver being Thea’s safety.

“Yeah, I’m good, Speedy. I’m sorry for freaking out on you like that,” Oliver tells her as they pull apart, smiling reassuringly down at his baby sister. Thea shakes her head, rolling her eyes affectionately at her brother and it’s at that moment that Felicity decides she likes this kid.

“Ollie… I’m just worried about you, that’s all. I see you have someone who can help though. Did you take my advice perhaps?” Thea grins with a wiggle of her eyebrows, glancing over at Felicity who blushes under the pressure of the sudden attention.

“You’re a little menace sometimes,” Oliver huffs at his little sister and Felicity smiles when Thea grins up at him in a move Felicity’s sure only youngest siblings can pull off.

“You love me,” Thea smirks with a preening tilt of her shoulder as she leans into Oliver who chuckles with an affectionate roll of his eyes.

“I do,” He smiles, bending to drop a kiss to the top of Thea’s head. Felicity smiles at the two of them, her heart clenching at how sweet the sight is, before the two of them turn to her. “Thea, meet Felicity Smoak,” Oliver introduces and Felicity smiles as the white ribbons spark from her and Thea, entwined to form their connection. She’s making so many new connections since she met Oliver… it makes her feel more normal and less like the weird girl with the sight she’s felt like for most of her life.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Thea, I’ve heard a lot about you from Oliver,” Felicity smiles as she extends her hand but she’s a little taken aback when Thea ignores it to pull her into a hug instead.

“Wait, _you’re_ the girl he’s always texting! I thought it was Laurel,” The teenager squeals a little once they step apart and Felicity flushes a deep red color at the idea that Oliver’s sister knows they’re pretty much constantly in contact.

“Laurel’s dating Tommy,” Oliver rolls his eyes at his sister, sending Felicity a guilty smile.

“I know,” Thea huffs with a roll of her eyes, looking up at Oliver with a raised eyebrow and Felicity chuckles when he snorts, bashing his shoulder into hers softly. “So, is Felicity your girlfriend? Are you his girlfriend? Back two months and already got a girlfriend, you move fast, big bro.”

Felicity cannot help but laugh as Thea looks between Oliver and Felicity, wiggling her eyebrows and smirking up at her big brother. It’s doubly hilarious as Oliver blushes, making Felicity feel better about the deep red color she’s pretty sure she’s sporting on her face right now.

“Stop talking now, Speedy,” Oliver comments with a groan but Thea just laughs.

“That’s not a no,” She half sings, bouncing on her toes a little. She grins at her brother before she bounces over to Felicity. “Get my number from Ollie, we should grab lunch sometime.”

“I’d like that,” Felicity promises the teenager, watching the girl grin and nod before she smiles back at her brother and makes her way into the hospital room where Felicity assumes Moira is waiting.

“Sorry about her,” Oliver winces a little and Felicity laughs, shaking her head.

“It’s okay, she seems sweet,” She reassures him, stepping up closer to him again.

“She has her moments,” Oliver laughs but the affectionate look that lingers in his eyes says differently. “Thank you again for coming.”

“Of course. Whatever you need, you’ve got me, okay?” Felicity tells him honestly with a warm smile. She notes that Thea is right, neither of them denied the fact that she’s his girlfriend and Felicity’s not sure what that means but she also finds herself very okay with that idea.

“I’m not sure I deserve you,” Oliver sighs, practically melting but Felicity shakes her head.

“You deserve everything,” She counters vehemently, reaching up to gently cup his face. “Are you going to be okay? I can call in sick to work.”

“No, you should go back, I’ll be okay. Thanks to you,” He assures her, nuzzling into her hands for a moment before he smiles at her.

“Always,” Felicity grins, patting his cheek gently before she steps back. She gives him a wide smile, reaching out to squeeze his hand. She waits for him to smile and nod at her before she grasps her bag and heads back to the elevators. “Look after him for me, Mr. Diggle.”

“That’s the job description,” Diggle nods at her with a small smile, and Felicity smiles too, grateful to know that Oliver has someone looking out for him. It makes her feel a lot better about leaving Oliver, despite the fact that everything within her screams to stay with him.

* * *

Oliver’s mother, it turns out, was shot at by none other than Helena Bertinelli, the beautiful and apparently lethal daughter of the mob boss, Frank Bertinelli. The Bertinelli’s rule the city with an iron fist but their altercations with the Triad recently have been causing more and more issues in and around the city. It’s a tenuous situation and one Oliver has somehow found himself tangled up in.

“How can I damn her when I know exactly how she feels?” He questions of Felicity one night a few days into dealing with Helena. It’s mid-afternoon and he’s been up all night trying to figure out the best way to approach the situation. When Felicity texted him an update about how much she detests her supervisor at work, he knew he needed to speak to her to hear her perspective.

“Oliver, what you do… it’s not black and white. There’s grey area all over the place, I’m getting the feeling Helena Bertinelli might fall into that grey area,” Felicity counters, her voice level and calm even through the phone line, providing that calm objectivity he’s so grateful for. Something tugs within Oliver and he smiles as he realizes that Felicity must be fiddling with their bond. She’s taken to absentmindedly wrapping her hand around it and tugging when they’re on the phone and Oliver finds he loves the deep gut affection it elicits in him.

“She’s still killing people,” Oliver sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Helena isn’t particularly warm with him but she seems to understand that they’re kindred spirits in a way.

“She is, but if her motivation is as true as you say it is, then I doubt that her conviction is all that strong,” Felicity explains softly and Oliver frowns.

“She wants vengeance, I don’t think I can stop that,” He worries, knowing that the dark-haired woman is on a warpath and will stop at nothing to ensure that Michael is avenged.

“She wants justice, Oliver, and I think you know a little something about that,” Felicity corrects and Oliver sighs, shaking his head. Whilst speaking with Helena has helped him to realize that he is not the only one going through something like he is, it’s also revealed to him a darker side of himself. Helena is lethal and he knows he has that nature too. It’s a little scary to look in the mirror so objectively.

“I kill too,” He laments to Felicity and he hears the blonde sigh at the end of the phone. Something deep within him tugs harshly and his lips quirk as he realizes that’s her way of reprimanding him from afar by pulling on the bond.

“You do, but it’s not your first port of call, is it?”

“Of course not,” Oliver frowns, shaking his head. What he does is by no means heroic, but he doesn’t kill for the sake of it, or for revenge for himself. If men die, it’s because the world truly is better off without their souls on this earth.

Or at least that’s what he tells himself.

“Well then… if you don’t believe Helena’s targets deserve to die then maybe you can get her to understand your way of doing things,” Felicity suggests and Oliver can practically picture the way her brow crinkles as she thinks of the solution. It’s adorable and he smiles a little, noting how deeply Felicity has routed herself into his core at this point. It’s scary, to know he trusts someone so freely and unequivocally, but it’s also freeing and wonderful.

“You mean to take her to the Foundry?” Oliver asks with a raised eyebrow, trying to think through how that might go in his mind. If he can show Helena how he goes about things, finding the facts and most objective truth he can before eliciting information to help his cause… that just might work.

“The Foundry? Oh, your lair! You know, I’m a little sad I’m not the first girl you’re taking down there,” Felicity chuckles and he can hear the amusement in her tone, he knows she’s just kidding. Something within him, however, roars at the thought that she might think this is anything other than wanting to help another lost soul. He has no ulterior motives with Helena at all.

“Felicity… it’s not like _that_ with Helena,” He hastens to reassure her and he hears her snort lightly.

“I know, you goofball, but promise me I will get to see that lair of yours at some point?” She questions, her voice sounding far too excited at the prospect of heading down into a dark basement. Oliver’s instincts thunder at the idea of her down there, his need to protect her attempting to outweigh his logic, but he takes a deep breath.

“When I’m with you, when I know it’s safe and I’ve checked our surroundings at least eight times to ensure you’re protected. And it’s not called a lair,” He growls out, his ferocity at his need to protect her slipping into his tone and making him wince. He doesn’t mean to be rude and he feels a little guilty but Felicity just laughs.

“Okay, Arrow Man, whatever you say,” She counters in a light-hearted tone and Oliver feels his shoulders slump in relief. Felicity is such a balm, he truly doesn’t know what he did to deserve her light.

“That’s the worst codename ever,” He groans in response to her words, unable to stop the smile that spreads across his face at the sound of her laugh. It’s lilting and gentle and just beautiful… just like her.

“I try,” She counters and Oliver can picture the preening tilt of her shoulders, making him chuckle. “I’ll talk to you later? I’ve got to go, Walter’s back, and I’ve got some stuff to show him.”

“About that thing with my mom? You found something else?” Oliver questions, remembering what she told him at Big Belly Burger a couple of weeks ago. Oliver’s a little nervous about the idea of Felicity looking into that all, he trusts his mother, but she’s not known for her honesty and if it’s something dangerous… he doesn’t know what he’d do if something happened to Felicity.

“I’ll explain later, okay?” She reassures him and Oliver nods, taking a deep breath.

“Okay, stay safe, Felicity,” He tells her and smiles when he hears her chuckle.

“You too, Arrow Man,” She quips before hanging up the phone and Oliver stands there grinning like a teenager with a crush for a moment before he shakes his head.

He’s got a revenge-set murderess to reform.


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity gets a certain notebook from Walter, causing her and Oliver's dynamic to shift in a big way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I just want to say a huge thank you to you all for all your love on this story! It's been a little bit out there from what I usually write but I've had such a blast writing it and to get such a positive reaction on it has been so wonderful. This chapter's a big one, so I sincerely hope you enjoy! If you do, and you're so inclined, let me know by leaving a kudos and/or comment, they really do make my day!

For Felicity, the next couple of days end up as a whirlwind.

She’s successfully admonished by Walter when she tries to bring up the issue of the symbol she found to be associated with Tempest. The CEO bats her away like an annoying fly, threatening her job if she continues to look into it.

The warning forces her to step back from it, she’ll admit. With no other path forward, she’s forced to concentrate on her actual work and her own side projects, knowing that her job and the money it brings are too important for her to sacrifice at the expense of solving the mystery niggling at the back of her mind.

She does her job with her eyes closed; it’s never been a challenge to be an IT girl at QC. She’s a certified genius and her expertise certainly extends past clearing browser histories and writing code for their website interface. Not concentrating on her investigation into Tempest, however, means she does have more time to focus on her own projects once more, especially with Oliver focusing on his attempt to stop Helena Bertinelli’s campaign. She’s pretty much perfected her automated darkening contacts when the request to call up to Walter’s office comes through.

She doesn’t expect him to pull her further into this mystery. In fact, what she expects him to do is fire her, but instead, he hands her the small leather-bound notebook, tells her the last person he asked to look into it died, and sends her on her way. Felicity’s shivering by the time she gets back to her desk, thinking through the possibility of this getting her harmed.

It’s not the first time in the past few weeks she’s considered how much danger she’s toeing the line with right now. Even before this investigation with Walter, her soulmate is the man who runs around the city at night shooting people with arrows. She knows that Oliver is trying to keep her as far away from all that as possible, wanting to protect her and keep her out of harm’s way, but Felicity also knows that sooner or later, that’s not going to be possible.

She trusts Oliver, she really does, but she also knows that signing on with him will mean she’ll have to bid goodbye her quiet life of hiding in the shadows, never letting anyone sees her as anything other than the gifted, quiet IT girl.

Despite that, what she says to Walter in his office is true. She does hate mysteries and this is another piece to the puzzle that’s been niggling at her mind for weeks now.

Moira Queen embezzles company funds to set up an offshore LLC named Tempest, she covers the money trail up pretty effectively but there’s still something incredibly off about the transfer of millions. The company logo, Felicity presumes, is found printed inside a notebook filled with blank pages that the investigation of lost a man his life.

“And Oliver thinks he’s the most messed up one in the family,” Felicity mutters under her breath as she flicks through the notebook, trying to figure out what it might mean.

Suddenly, she detects a slight shine to the paper, as if there’s something written there that she cannot see and an idea sparks in her mind.

“I need to go to applied sciences,” She nods as she stands, looking around her office before she locks the notebook in her bottom desk drawer just to be safe as she heads to the elevator terminal.

Things feel slightly clearer from there. The list of names written in invisible ink is disconcerting, to say the least, especially when Felicity starts transferring them to her tablet. There’s no context here, just a list of people and Felicity recognizes some of them as people Oliver’s taken out in the past weeks. Considering this is a notebook Walter claims belongs to Moira, that seems a little too much of a coincidence for her to ignore.

She reveals the names to Walter, who seems as baffled as she is, and asks that he allow her to continue working with the notebook to try and reveal some more information about the names. She’s relieved when the CEO agrees because she knows the first thing she needs to do is call Oliver but without the evidence, she’s pretty sure he might think her a crazy person.

“Hi, can we meet? I have something I need to show you,” Felicity speaks into the line connected to Oliver when she gets back to her office. She hears his sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line and she frowns when he then doesn’t respond. “Oliver? Are you okay?”

“I couldn’t stop her,” He answers almost breathlessly and Felicity frowns at the words, her heart immediately aching at the pain she can hear in his voice.

“Her? Oh… Helena?” Felicity questions to confirm, remembering what Oliver’s been busy dealing with the past few days. She pulls up the local news website on her tablet, frowning at the sight of reports of mob fights and deaths.

“She’s gone and she said if I ever tried to stop her again, there’d be hell to pay,” Oliver explains and Felicity sighs as she hears his clenched teeth. She can practically see his hunched shoulders and tense muscles and it breaks her heart to hear how badly this is affecting him.

He just wants to help, that much is clear to her.

“Oh Oliver… you tried, that’s the important thing. Some people just don’t want to be helped,” Felicity reassures him, knowing that if he tried to help Helena, he would’ve tried his best.

“I… I know, but I thought I could get her to see, you know?” He asks her softly, a despondent tone to his voice and Felicity sighs with a small, sad smile.

“I know but Helena’s been through a lot. Some people just can’t move past a trauma like that,” She explains to him gently, knowing that sometimes, some bonds are so badly severed that they affect your ability to function and drag a dark grey color across your other connections too. For some people, losing that one person they truly care about, means they can never have a full, deep connection with someone else again.

“I’m sorry, you said you have something you need to show me,” Oliver sighs and Felicity can picture him shaking his head, shaking off the hurt and the darkness of the past days.

Felicity bites her lip, wondering if now is the right time to tell him about the notebook but she swallows thickly, strengthening her resolve. She knows that he needs to know and Felicity herself needs to understand why there’s the crossover with the names on the list and those Oliver has taken down. “I do. It’s sort of serious, to do with that thing with your mom I was talking about?”

“I thought Walter said he sorted it?” Oliver counters and Felicity winces.

“Long story short, he did not,” Felicity huffs and she can practically hear the archer frown.

“QC?” He questions and Felicity shakes her head, glancing around her office as an unsafe feeling settles in her heart. She doesn’t feel totally secure, especially not out here in the open like this, and if Walter’s head of security was killed for knowing about the notebook, Felicity’s smart enough to know that they shouldn’t discuss it in a public place either.

“No, my place. Less chance of being overheard,” She tells him determinedly, trying to stop the way her hands are shaking nervously.

“Okay, I’ll be about half an hour, alright?” Oliver asks her softly and Felicity can tell from his reassuring tone that he’s picked up on the nerves in hers.

“Got it. See you there,” She answers, her voice shaking a little with nerves. She knows she’ll be okay once she speaks to Oliver but the thought of what they’ve begun to build becoming unraveled by all of this terrifies her. Oliver really is one of the best things in her life, one of the only good things if she’s being honest, and this feels like she’s putting that all on the line, even though she knows she can trust him.

“Felicity?” He questions gently and Felicity takes a deep breath even as her stomach flutters nervously.

“Yeah?”

“It’s going to be okay,” Oliver tells her and it’s so plain, so simple, and honest that her shoulders slump in relief and she sinks back into her chair with a deep breath.

“Thank you, I needed to hear that,” She sighs, a small smile quirking at the edge of her lips.

“Your place, half an hour, okay?” He reminds her and she takes a deep breath, nodding her head.

“Okay.”

She’s quick from there to pack everything up and head out to the parking lot. She tucks the notebook into her coat, feeling for some reason as if she needs to keep it close. She doesn’t know whether it’s the story of Walter’s head of security who lost his life or the mere energy the notebook seems to emit but it makes her feel safer to have it fully on her person.

She drives home in silence, her head spinning with ways this conversation with Oliver might go. She trusts him with the secret but knowing that his mom’s connected to it opens up a whole other facet.

“Oliver!” She squeaks as she enters the living room to see him sitting on the couch in the dark. Jumping, she reaches for the light, knowing it’s him from the way their connection stops at his body but still wanting the confirmation the brightness brings.

“You really shouldn’t be leaving your windows open. You live in a dangerous part of the city, Felicity, who knows who might climb in?” Oliver smiles at her reassuringly, though there’s a serious look beneath his eyes. There’s a protective glint to it, he clearly wants to keep her safe, and whilst that calms Felicity, knowing that her window was open does not.

“Yeah, I… I must have forgotten this morning, I…” She trembles, looking around the apartment with a small shiver. She hates how helpless she feels but with the notebook practically burning a hole in her coat pocket, she can’t help it.

“Hey, are you okay?” Oliver asks with a small frown, pushing up off the back of the couch and making his way over to her. His face is masked in concern, a deep frown consuming his features and Felicity sighs, looking up at him with scared eyes.

“Yes? Maybe? I don’t know…” She shakes her head, hating that she feels like this. She should be strong, should handle this, and help Walter uncover whatever it is that’s going on but right now, she just feels incredibly nervous.

“Okay, hey, c’mere, talk me through what happened,” Oliver prompts gently, reaching for her hand and tugging her over to sit on the couch. He guides her to sit down on the soft cushions, waiting patiently as she catches her breath and tries to figure out where to start.

“So, you know how I said I was going up to Walter’s office on the phone the other day?” Felicity takes a deep breath before she speaks, racking her brain to remember where Oliver’s knowledge of what she’s been doing ends. They’ve been speaking almost every day but with both of them so busy, it’s more of a check-in than an actual detailed conversation.

“Yeah, you never did tell me what that was about,” Oliver replies with a curious frown, tilting his head as he clearly waits for her to explain,

“I found something else to do with your mother’s odd transaction to set up Tempest, the LLC. All I had then was a logo, I guess? I showed it to Walter and he got mad at me, telling me that if I continued to look into it, I’d lose my job,” Felicity recounts, shivering as she remembers how scared she had been after she left Walter’s office a few days ago.

“Felicity…” Oliver sighs, sympathy all over his face but Felicity just shakes her head, swallowing thickly.

“I did as he asked, I left it alone, really I did. Then he called me into his office again earlier today. I thought for sure I was shot, done for, you know? I was freaking out because I really can’t afford to lose my job right now and with everything going on, I just wanted to make sure that everything was going to be okay and…”

“Felicity.”

She’s grateful for Oliver’s interruption, her head spinning far too much for her to control her own rambling tendencies.

“Right, sorry. Well, he didn’t fire me. He gave me this, asked me to look into it, told me that the last person he asked to do so was killed,” She explains with a small shudder, pulling the notebook out of her coat pocket and handing it over to Oliver.

She watches his face carefully, surprise covering her own when recognition registers in his eyes. Does Oliver know what the notebook is? He doesn’t seem surprised by it at the very least. She watches as he carefully opens it, thrumming his finger through the pages where she’s written the names in pen over the invisible ink to negate the need for the infrared glasses.

“Did he say where he found this?” Oliver asks slowly, looking between the notebook and Felicity with a careful expression. Felicity can see their bond glowing, the purple color glowing particularly brightly to symbolize some deep form of trust being shaped.

“In your house, he said it was your mother’s,” Felicity recounts, remembering what Walter had said to her earlier.

“Oh god,” The man before her whispers under his breath, sitting back on the couch and staring down at the notebook as if it might burn him. It’s clear to Felicity that he’s not surprised at the existence of this list of names, just the fact that his mother has it, which just prompts another round of questions in her mind.

“Oliver? Have you seen this before?” Felicity asks slowly, reaching out and placing her hand on his on top of the leather.

“This list of names? Yes. It’s the entire reason I became the vigilante.” Oliver’s voice is slow and methodical, as if he’s trying to restrain himself.

Felicity, however, feels a sense of vindication run through her for noticing the similarities in the names. “I knew it wasn’t a coincidence the names are the same ones you’ve been targeting!”

Oliver’s lips quirk a little at her enthusiasm, even as Felicity sits back a little sheepishly, realizing that her tone isn’t exactly matching Oliver’s somber one.

“No, it’s not a coincidence at all. I have a copy of the same list, in pretty much the same notebook,” He continues to explain and Felicity frowns at that, looking down at the book. He clearly didn’t know of its existence, that much is clear, so how does he have a replica of it?

“Where did _you_ get it?” Felicity questions with a frown, looking between the book and Oliver with furrowed eyebrows.

Oliver takes a deep breath at that and looks at her for a moment as if debating whether to tell her the truth or not. Eventually, he sighs, his eyes growing sad as he looks her straight in her eyes, vulnerability all over his face.

“I found it on my father’s dead body.”

His voice is plain, matter of fact, but Felicity can tell from his eyes and the way the purple in their bond continues to thrum that admitting this is extremely difficult for Oliver. Felicity knows that he doesn’t speak much about his time away. His family certainly seem determined to try and just restore him to the person he was before the island, act as if those five years didn’t affect him. Felicity, however, knows that he isn’t that man anymore. He doesn’t necessarily talk about it, but she can tell how deeply his time on that island has affected him. It’s in the way his eyes glaze over whenever someone mentions it and how quickly he’ll change the conversation if it ever comes up. She can tell that those were five years of pain and misery and suffering and to know that he’s willing to share a little piece of that with her, to open up and let her in… it truly means the world.

“Oh,” She finds herself saying, feeling entirely useless as she doesn’t have the right words to comfort him. Instead, she reaches out, one of her hands wrapping around his and the other gently looping around their bond. She gently pulls it down, not tugging but adding a slight tension and Oliver looks up at her, gratitude in his eyes as he spins his hand in hers to entwine their fingers.

“Come on, I think it’s time you see exactly what I’ve been doing,” He tells her gently and Felicity’s brow furrows but she follows when he tugs her up, leading back towards the door she just came through.

She starts a little when he holds his hand out in request for her keys but when he tells her it’s that or the motorbike he rode over here on, she happily dishes her keychain from her purse to hand them over. He glares at her again when she can’t help but giggle at how difficult it is for him to fit into her car but her expression soon turns more somber as they drive deeper into the Glades, pulling up outside the old Queen Consolidated steel factory that she knows Oliver is in the process of transforming into a nightclub.

“Your new project?” Felicity questions when he parks the car on the side of the road, waiting for him to kill the engine before she takes off her belt and turns to look at him.

“Is the perfect front for my work as the vigilante, yes,” Oliver explains and everything clicks into place in Felicity’s mind. She thought the nightclub project seemed a little off for the man Oliver has become, the man he is after coming back from the island, but to learn it’s the front for his vigilante work makes it make a lot more sense.

“That’s actually pretty smart,” She tells him with a small, surprised smile, and Oliver chuckles, affectionately shaking his head.

“I have my moments, come on,” He winks before he unfolds himself from her car. He walks around the small bumper, waiting for Felicity to finish climbing out before he holds his hand out for her to take. Felicity stares at it for a moment before she entwines her fingers with his, concentrating on that deep purple glowing in their bond as he leads her inside.

The interior of the club is beginning to come together, looking more like a club than the abandoned building it still resembles outside. Oliver sends her a reassuring smile as he leads her through the construction site, tightening his grip on her hand as they traverse a few trepid areas of the club, but soon enough, he leads her through a back door and then through a hidden door, concealed by a bookcase.

“Watch your step,” Oliver tells her softly, holding her hand tightly as he leads her down a slippery industrial staircase until they’re stood in a concrete room, darkness all around.

The set-up he has down here is certainly far from homely. Every surface is concrete or metal and she’s pretty sure that’s water gushing down the back wall. The floor is slippery and she’s really regretting not picking up her sneakers because she’s not sure stilettos are particularly the safest option down here. The only light is from a few industrial ones hanging over head but they work in order to illuminate the space sufficiently. There’s workout equipment dotted around everywhere, dummies and ropes and arrows and what look like chains…? There’s also what seems to be a medical station which Felicity is grateful to see at the very least and the most pathetic excuse for an IT system she’s seen since her mom placed a tiny notebook laptop on the side table and called it a desk.

“Those poor babies! Oliver, this is so not the environment to be keeping tech in and this is a system that certainly won’t support all the work you’re doing. You need a few more screens and a computer with a far quicker processing speed to keep up with you,” Felicity gasps as she stalks over to his supposed IT system and looks over the laptop and single extra screen with a wince. There’s no way this can support what Oliver’s trying to do here and she bets that the work that needs to go into attempting to research crime and the people he targets is so much harder than it needs to be on that thing. She turns to look at Oliver, to see him staring at her with an amazed but also amused expression. “What?”

“I bring you down into my secret lair and your first reaction is to yell at me about the state of my IT system?” He questions, walking slowly towards her with a frown on his face.

“Oh sorry, I just…” Felicity shakes her head, her cheeks immediately flushing as she looks back towards him, a sheepish smile spreading over her face.

“No, you’re just… you’re remarkable,” Oliver shakes his head, his face turning into an expression that Felicity could almost read as… reverent? It’s full of respect and amazement and it makes her stomach flip to see the dedication shining so brightly in his eyes in tandem with their bond glowing a slight shade of pink.

“Thank you for remarking on it,” Felicity replies with a small smirk and a preening tilt of her shoulders. That makes Oliver laugh and he shifts his weight to sink into his hip, moving him slightly to the side. The slight movement reveals the desk behind him, upon which sits a plain leather notebook very similar to the one Oliver is holding in his hand. Felicity frowns, looking at Oliver before she gestures to it. “Is that the notebook?”

“It is. Here,” Oliver smiles softly, leading her over to the table and placing the one Walter gave her on the desk next to his. He flips them both open before steeping back and Felicity’s eyes widen as she steps up to them, thrumming through the pages of both.

“Oh my google, they’re the exact same,” She remarks in amazement, looking back to Oliver with wide eyes.

“Told you,” He nods, staring down at the two notebooks with a discerning frown.

“I just… what does this mean?” Felicity questions, her own head reeling as she tries to piece all these new pieces of information together. There’s no clear answer, nothing that jumps out at her without further research, and that just raises more questions in her head.

“Well, I think this Tempest thing is far bigger than you realized. If my father knew about it…” Oliver trails off, staring at the notebooks with a deep frown. His eyebrows are deeply furrowed and Felicity can tell that this is something that’s troubling him deeply. She understands that it must be difficult. He had been so sure that his father’s instructions were his own and that they were pure but with all the mystery surrounding his mother’s side of things… that might not be true anymore.

“So what? Do you think _they_ started an organization to bring down the Starling City elite?” Felicity questions, still unable to fully wrap her head around what it is that’s going on here.

“No, these people, they were their friends. They’re the people who came to dinner parties at our house and chatted with my parents for hours on end about the advantages of the private school system. I think my father had some serious regrets which is why he gave me the list, but I don’t think the plan was to bring these people down when the notebooks were made,” Oliver explains slowly, his voice calm and methodical even as Felicity can practically _see_ the cog whirling in his mind as he thinks it all through.

“Okay, that makes sense. But then why?” Felicity poses, looking back to the notebooks herself and turning through the pages once more as if they might reveal some great secret.

“I think that might be the million-dollar question,” Oliver sighs and Felicity nods, biting her lip for a moment. She stares at the notebooks for another long minute, as if willing them to release their secrets through the mere power of her stare but when she looks over to Oliver and sees his deeply worried expression, she knows a change of subject is needed.

“Well, you’re never going to find out with a system like that,” She counters, walking back over to where the laptop is set up and assessing the table with a discerning frown.

“Felicity, so not the issue at hand here,” Oliver groans as he follows her across the room, shaking his head at her, though there is still something resembling affection beneath the reprimanding expression.

“I’m just saying, if I were down here permanently…”

“Which you’re not and won’t be,” Oliver quickly interjects, his voice taking on a sudden growl and dropping at least an octave in pitch. His face contorts into a deep frown and he looks almost _angry_ but Felicity is a grown woman and she’s not going to allow herself to be pushed around by some guy with an immortality complex because of his larger than average and decidedly very nice muscles.

“Why not? I’m a big girl, I can handle myself,” She counters quickly, puffing out a chest a little as she squares off her shoulders. Oliver sighs, his shoulders relaxing a little, and his expression softening as he looks at her, his face reflecting that of almost sadness.

“Of that, I have no doubt but Felicity… what if I can’t protect you? I could never live with myself if something happened to you,” He tells her gently and Felicity can hear the worry and fear in his voice. She relaxes a little, knowing that it’s not because he doesn’t think she can handle herself, and she can understand his want to keep her safe. She has the same want for him, something deep and innate within her creates this feeling of need to protect him and make sure that he stays with her for as long as possible.

And that’s why she knows she needs to press this because with her working the tech down here? She can keep an eye on him when he’s out in the field and ensure that she doesn’t everything in her power to make sure he comes home to her.

“From inside this concealed basement? I’m not saying I want to join you in the field but we could seriously upgrade your missions with my skill set,” She comments with a small frown, looking back to the table with a small frown.

The other thing is just that his set up, if you could even call it that, hurts her deep within her soul. Every part of herself that she’s dedicated to technology weeps for the complete lack of consideration that set up has for the innovation and leaps the technological world has made in the past few years.

“Felicity… I know you are the most skilled IT girl to have ever existed, I know this, I really do. But the idea of you even being down here seriously sets my teeth on edge. I cannot let you get hurt. Just the mere thought of it makes every cell in my body scream in agony. It would distract me and that would be dangerous for us all.”

As Oliver speaks, Felicity knows that this is not a disagreement she’ll be winning today. It’s clear that Oliver feels very deeply about his opinion on this and she supposes that it’s sweet in a way how protective he is of her. She understands that what he’s doing is extremely dangerous and she knows that getting involved with him properly isn’t going to be a walk in the park.

She also knows, however, that Oliver hasn’t quite figured out that she’s already involved just yet. By Walter giving her the notebook to research, he’s pulled her into this and there’s nothing Oliver can do about it. She has to conduct her research else she’ll lose her job, and she knows that she wants to solve this mystery for herself personally as well.

Felicity knows, however, that today is not the day to point that out to Oliver. She can tell it was a lot for him to bring her down here anyway and properly share this part of his life with her. She’s not going to push it after he’s been so wonderful in doing that.

“Okay. You’ve _got_ to let me do something about that system though,” She relents, turning back to him with a compromise and a raised eyebrow.

“Stop attacking my laptop!” Oliver huffs, a soft pout painting his lips in perhaps the most adorable expression Felicity has ever seen. It takes her aback for a moment but she doesn’t allow it to deter her, especially as she reminds herself that his ‘computer system’ looks like something out of an old movie.

“It looks like something out of the 80s and not the good 80s things like Madonna and leg warmers!” Felicity exclaims and watches as Oliver freezes for a moment, his eyebrow rising as he looks at her with an amused smirk.

“Leg warmers?” He scoffs with a chuckle and Felicity shrugs her shoulders.

“They’re a statement,” She states with conviction and Oliver laughs with a shake of his head.

“Whatever you say,” He smiles before his expression softens, tilting his head as he looks at her. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Felicity questions with a frown, turning to face him fully.

“For understanding, for not thinking me some kind of monster, for not turning and running,” Oliver tells her gently, his eyes conveying just how much he appreciates her mere act of being here. It makes Felicity’s heart ache to think that he might regard himself as any kind of monster and she walks the few steps to close the gap between them, reaching for his hand.

“Oliver… you’re my soulmate and that means that inherently, I understand you. Past that, however, I want to try and see things from your perspective, to understand why you want to do all this and support you through it in the best way that I can. I know you well enough to know how important this is to you and, whilst I don’t agree with all of your methodologies, I can see that your mission has a pure intention. This is important to you and I think in general, it’s good for the city. Why would I run at that?”

Her words come easily and she speaks them with conviction, truly believing each and every one of them. She has some doubts about Oliver’s mission, namely the body count he’s compiling and some of his more violent measures, but she knows that to kill is never his first intention and that at heart, his mission is just about doing good in the city.

“You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever known,” Oliver replies, his eyes shining in amazement as he stares down at her, and Felicity smiles, glancing as their thrumming bond within which all of the colors are dancing as if delighting in their pure happiness.

“The biggest of dittos, arrow man,” She counters with a smile and Oliver laughs with an affectionate roll of his eyes.

“We’re back to that nickname?” He questions with an unimpressed raised eyebrow and Felicity giggles with a shrug.

“It suits you,” She states simply, reaching up to pat his chest with her spare hand and a grin.

“Whatever you say,” Oliver smirks with a shake of his head and Felicity sighs contently.

“So, do you need to stay here or are you free for the rest of the night?” She asks softly, tightening her grip on his hand as she leans back before pulling herself back towards him, making him smile at her.

“I think I can take the night off,” He tells her with a smile, his eyes shining with affection and Felicity feels her heart leap, and her stomach whirl at the response.

“What do you say to pizza and a movie at my place?” She questions, wanting to extend this trustful feeling for as long as possible.

“I say that sounds like the best idea I’ve ever heard,” Oliver confirms and Felicity grins, letting him entwine their fingers and grab the notebook with his spare hand before he leads her up, out of the basement, and back to her car.

The night is just as, if not more, wonderful than their burger date at Big Belly the week previous. Oliver laughs with her on her couch as they eat pizza, smiles passed over slices, and teasing tones filling her usually silent apartment. The sight of him there, sat on her couch, with their bond thrumming joyfully between them might be the most incredible thing Felicity has ever experienced. She knows that they’ve got a long road ahead of them, a confusing mystery to solve and probably a lot of danger to deal with. However, when Oliver smiles at her from just a few feet away, she feels like everything will be okay so long as she keeps him near.

They watch the fifth Harry Potter movie, it having been the first one Oliver missed in his time away. By the end of the movie, Felicity has shifted to be laying against Oliver’s side. Her head lolls onto his shoulder, her vision blurry as she struggles to concentrate on the sight of Harry and his friends fighting the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries. What she can focus on, is the warm feeling Oliver’s arm around her settles in her chest and the way that she feels safer than she has in weeks wrapped up in his arms.

She falls asleep before Sirius dies, her head becoming heavier on Oliver’s shoulder and the last thing she remembers is the feeling of him pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before she falls into dreams of flying and Oliver by her side through it all.

When she wakes up, she’s in her bedroom, alone, but with a box of her favorite chocolates, a single rose, and a note on the sheet next to her.

_Felicity,_

_You looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to wake you but I also didn’t want to presume you were comfortable with me staying, even just downstairs. Thank you for a wonderful night and again for being so understanding with my secret. I know that we’re connected in a more innate way than either of us can fully comprehend but I still cannot tell you how much it means to me to know that I have your support. Give me a tug on our bond to let me know you’re okay when you read this in the morning._

_Oliver x_

The brightest of smiles spreads across Felicity’s face as she reads his words, a feeling of contentedness settling in her that she hasn’t felt for the longest time. She does as asked, reaching down to gently tug on their bond and she’s rewarded with the familiar pull in her stomach that tells her Oliver’s thinking of her.

* * *

Things take a decided turn for the worse the next week.

It starts out with someone dressed in a hood shooting three arrows through Adam Hunt’s chest. Someone dressed in a hood shooting arrows who is decidedly _not_ Oliver because he is sat on Felicity’s couch watching the sixth Harry Potter when it happens.

Oliver is furious. This isn’t his mission and he’s never going to be able to complete his duty if the media and the police frame him as a vengeful psychopath who returns to kill his victims after he’s already forced them to attempt to erase the harm they’ve done.

He’s doing everything he can and for that to be switched on its head so completely is a punch to the stomach.

Then he talks to Thea about the lack of Christmas decorations in the manor and confronts her about the fact that they’re not hosting the annual Queen holiday party. He’ll admit that in the past it was a way for him to hit on his father’s female employees and engage in the general debauchery that characterized his late teens and early twenties, but it’s something he always looked forward to nonetheless. To know also that his family hasn’t been celebrating what used to be one of the most wonderful times of the year for them all, mostly because of him, hurts. He never wants to be a source of pain for his family, only joy, and that is why he dedicates himself to throwing one of the best Christmas parties the mansion has ever seen.

“Please, you have to come,” Oliver finds himself lamenting to Felicity as he settles down in the chair opposite her desk with a sigh. Felicity purses her lips, raising an eyebrow at him with a dubious expression. She looks beautiful today, her hair pulled back into its usual curly ponytail and dressed in a soft-looking pale blue silk blouse and black skirt. Oliver will admit there’s something about the way she stares at him when she’s unimpressed with something he’s said that is extremely attractive.

“I’m Jewish, Oliver. I know not everyone’s the most well versed in what that means but here’s a big ole’ clue: we don’t celebrate Christmas,” Felicity reminds him with a raised eyebrow and Oliver winces as he silently curses himself for not suggesting her attendance in a different way. He knows that she’s Jewish, that she doesn’t celebrate Christmas, and he would never want her to think he’s forgotten that, but he really wants her by his side for this.

He doesn’t know why, but things seem to go better with her around. She’s like his good luck charm. He expresses as much to her and finishes with a wincing smile and a shrug. “It’s a holiday party?”

“You’re lucky it technically is Hanukkah right now,” Felicity sighs after staring at him for a moment with her eyebrow raised, her expression melting into one of slight resignation.

“So you’ll come?” Oliver questions hopefully, his heart lightening slightly as he smiles in an encouraging way.

“Yes, google help me. How formal is this thing?” Felicity sighs, reaching over to write something on a post-it note.

“As formal as you want it to be,” Oliver assures her, waving it off but that seems to be the wrong answer as she turns to level him with an exceedingly unimpressed look.

“Oliver. I know you live in a mansion, ‘as formal as you want it to be’ is really not going to cut it in terms of reassurance here,” She presses, that eyebrow raising again and Oliver frowns. That look holds power against him, that’s important to note. Not that he can or would want to do anything about that fact but he thinks that knowing it is important.

“Okay. Not black tie but nice,” Oliver relents to explain, and that finally elicits a smile from the pretty blonde, the expression lighting up her face and drawing light into those bright blue eyes Oliver finds himself getting lost in so often.

“I can do nice,” Felicity nods and Oliver scoffs at the concept of her struggling to look good in anything. He’s sure at this point that Felicity could be wearing a potato sack and she’d make it work.

“I know you can. You always look beautiful,” He reassures her and he has to admit, it makes him smile proudly when a light blush paints its way over her face.

“Well… thank you, you always look very nice too. Not nice, ugh that sounds wrong but also, I don’t want to objectify you or say what I really think which is that you’re frigging hot and there we go, I said it anyway. Please stop me from talking, I am begging you.”

Oliver cannot help the way his smile grows as Felicity babbles out of control, her eyes widening with every extra word that leaves her mouth and that pink blush turning into something far redder. She winces, mortified, and Oliver feels the familiar pull in his stomach when she reaches down and wraps her hand around what he knows to be their bond ribbon to ground herself. He can feel it whenever she does it but it’s more intense when he’s in her presence, perhaps because it’s easier to visualize.

“The party invite isn’t the only reason I’m here,” Oliver relents, saving her from her lack of brain to mouth filter and Felicity sighs gratefully.

“Thank you,” She whispers, looking at him with thankful eyes and Oliver chuckles before he reaches for the tube he brought with him.

“I got Lance to agree to let me at one of the arrows that copycat archer used to murder Nelson Ravich,” He explains slowly, having already spoken to Felicity about the copycat archer on the phone last night once he left her house abruptly after the news of Adam Hunt’s death.

“Okay?” Felicity asks and Oliver can hear the unasked question of what that has to do with him being in her office.

“I was wondering if you could help me use it to get anything on this guy?” He questions with a sheepish smile and Felicity smiles, nodding her head.

“You have it here?” She inquiries and Oliver nods, removing it from the safety tube he brought it in and handing it to her with a reminder to be careful. Felicity sends him another look at that but Oliver sits back, watching in slight amazement as she gets to work and almost immediately finds something. “Hmm okay, it’s patented. One second… Okay, it’s made by a company called Sagittarius which would make sense, arrows and all that,” She explains with a small frown and a waving gesture with the hand that’s not holding the arrow. Oliver frowns, nodding his head. It’s useful, but it still doesn’t give him much on the guy who’s impersonating him.

“Can you figure out when and where this one was purchased?” He presses and Felicity rolls her eyes with a scoff as she continues to type on her tablet keyboard.

“It’s like you don’t even know me. That arrow was a part of a bundle shipment of 200 units sent to… this address,” She works quickly, tearing off the post-it she wrote earlier to note down the address and hand it over, along with the arrow.

“You’re remarkable,” Oliver comments amazedly, staring down at the piece of paper with an exact address on it as he slips the arrow back into the tube.

“As you keep remarking upon,” Felicity chuckles with another preening tilt of her shoulders but Oliver just shakes his head, still utterly blown away with the talent the woman before he possesses.

“Seriously, you’re helping me out a ton, I really appreciate it,” He tells her with a warm smile, that now familiar affection sparking between them and Felicity smiles too.

“Far easier now that I know your secret, huh? No bad latte excuses,” She quips with a laugh and Oliver feigns shock and offense, shaking his head.

“That was not a bad excuse!”

“It was terrible and I would’ve liked to have seen what you would’ve come up for to explain _that_ if I didn’t know your secret,” She counters sharply, gesturing to the tube the arrow now resides in with a knowing look. Oliver winces, knowing she’s got him there. All his mind jumps to for a possible excuse is that he could’ve possibly told her he has a friend who plays archery and he wants to buy said friend the same arrows for his birthday but that is a _bad_ excuse that he knows Felicity would see straight through.

“Well, let’s just say it’s a good thing you do know it,” He winces as he thinks of that but it softens a little when his words elicit a bark of laughter from Felicity.

“Indeed.”

“Tomorrow, okay?” Oliver reminds her as he stands with a tentative smile, relaxing when she nods. The concept of her being in the mansion, in his home, by his side as he entertains is something that fills him with such joy. He’s probably far more excited than he should be.

“Okay,” Felicity nods with a small smile, her eyes widening when Oliver rounds the desk. “Bye.”

“Bye and Happy Hanukkah,” He tells her softly, bending to press a gentle kiss to her cheek before he gathers up his things and heads out the door. He glances back when he’s passed the threshold to see Felicity sat with a light blush painting her cheeks but a bright smile on her face and his stomach does a delighted little flip at the sight.

He’s so far gone on her, it’s ridiculous.


	7. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Queen holiday party is almost a success. Felicity meets a few of Oliver's friends and gets her first taste of life as part of Team Hood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all SO much for your continued support on this fic, it means SO much to me and I am so glad to see that you're all enjoying it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter as things start to pick up steam, and don't yell at me too hard about the end ;) 
> 
> As always, if you enjoy and are so inclined, let me know by leaving a kudos and/or comment, they truly make my day!

Felicity feels ridiculous as she approaches the door of the Queen Mansion.

The house is huge. She knew this objectively, the name mansion sort of gives it away, but seeing it in person for the first time is completely overwhelming. The acknowledgment that she and Oliver come from completely different sides of the tracks is the opposite of reassuring as she approaches the door to properly meet his family for the first time. (Sure, she’s met Thea and Moira on separate occasions but there’s something so formal about meeting them in their house… she’s just incredibly nervous).

She somehow feels both under and overdressed for the occasion, looking down at the powder blue cocktail dress she dug out the back of her closet for the party. (So, sue her, she wanted to acknowledge her Jewish roots and make a bit of a statement in what she knows will be a sea of the typical red and greens associated with Christmas). She’s done her hair up in a simple twist, a few of her natural curls falling down around her face, with some simple makeup that’s slightly bolder than her go-to, everyday look.

The door is open with a note that attendees of the party are welcome to enter pinned to the door, and Felicity takes a deep breath, using it to strengthen herself before she turns the doorknob and steps into the mansion.

The hallway is just as impressive as the façade of the house. Dark wood lines everything, garlands and flowers having been wrapped around almost every surface and banister, and it just reeks of money. There are people dotted about everywhere, holding drinks and making small talk, all dressed in outfits about as formal as Felicity’s which calms her a little. There’s a lot of threads, a lot of light in the room, that is only highlighted by the dim lighting of the room. She’s grateful she had the foresight to place her new automated contacts in and the darkest setting is automated when it picks up on the number of people around her. She looks around for a familiar face and spots Mr. Diggle by the entrance to the living room so she heads over to him with a warm smile that’s returned by the tall man when he spots her.

“Well don’t you look lovely,” He comments as she steps up to him and Felicity smiles, shrugging her shoulders with a small preening tilt.

“Thank you. Is our host around?” She questions, glancing into the living room and still seeing no sight of Oliver.

“Mr. Queen is on his way. He ran into some issues with a meeting with Sagittarius,” Mr. Diggle explains to her, leveling her with a knowing look and Felicity winces as she catches onto what he’s saying. Oliver went to try and take down the copycat archer at the address she gave him earlier.

“This meeting… was it… fruitful?” She questions, frowning as she tries to think of a way to word it in case of unwanted eavesdroppers.

“I don’t believe so, no,” Diggle frowns and Felicity does too. She knows how much this copycat archer has been bothering Oliver, it completely undermines everything he’s been doing in the city since he got back from the island, and bringing him down in order to stop him negating the good work that Oliver is doing is extremely important. “Ah, there he is.”

Felicity turns to follow Diggle’s gaze, a relieved smile spreading across her face at the sight of Oliver entering through the door, looking relatively unscathed. It calms her nerves further when he smiles at her, looking over her with an appreciative smirk that has her cheeks flushing. He cuts an extremely fine shape in his suit, looking every bit as devastatingly handsome as the tabloids flaunt. His arrival sends a few of the women in the hallway into chatter and Felicity has to admit that it’s exceedingly nice to watch the way _their_ bond sparkles as he makes his way over to her, his focus locked on her.

“You definitely managed nice,” He chuckles as he reaches her side, wrapping an arm around her waist and bending to press a gentle kiss to her cheek. Once he’s done so, he only pulls back a little, whispering in her ear, “You look stunning.”

“Are you okay? I mean… you look okay. Better than okay really! You look very good, very handsome, I’m going to stop talking now,” Felicity babbles as they pull apart fully, wincing as she realizes what she’s doing and shaking her head as both Oliver and Diggle chuckle. She watches the way Oliver and Diggle’s boysenberry thread wraps its way around her and Oliver’s opal one for just a moment, Felicity and Diggle’s lavender tinted one also joining in.

“I’m fine. The lead was a little fruitless but we’ll get him,” Oliver waves her off, glancing at John with a serious expression when the tall bodyguard raises a dubious eyebrow. Felicity watches as their bond thrums, that trust that is clear between them glowing as they demonstrate how well they work together. The two men hold eye contact for a long moment before Diggle relents and Oliver turns back to Felicity with that charming smile that Felicity is learning turns her insides to goo. “Now, come on. Let’s have a nice night.”

“Oh, we’re going in now?” Felicity questions, blinking in shock for a moment as she suddenly starts to panic. Should she take her contacts out? Would that make a better impression? Sure, she’ll get an awful headache and probably worse but would it be worth it? Is her dress clean? Is that a speck of dust? Google, she’s spiraling.

“Is that alright?” Oliver questions, running a hand down her arm with a concerned frown and Felicity shivers a little, swallowing thickly.

“Yes, sorry, just a little nervous,” She winces, forcing herself to breathe deeply and calm herself down. She can do this. She’s just a little scared, meeting new people is always nerve-wracking. It’s not something she’s done a lot and the way people generally react to her has not exactly been the most comforting of experiences.

“Felicity… you have nothing to be nervous about, okay?” Oliver smiles at her reassuringly and, as their bond thrums a gentle pink, Felicity could almost believe him.

“Okay,” She nods, her stomach still twisting but it calms a little as Oliver offers his arm and she slips her hand through his elbow. They both nod at Diggle who smiles at them before he heads down the corridor and Felicity takes another deep breath before she allows Oliver to lead her through to the living room.

“There you are, darling! Oh, and Miss Smoak as well,” Moira exclaims as she spots them entering, her voice dropping to a far less pleased tone as she notes Felicity’s presence. Felicity internally shakes her head, knowing that she’s not the Queen matriarch’s favorite and that being so doesn’t matter, not when she has Oliver’s support.

“Felicity!”

…and Thea’s too, evidently.

“Hi, Thea. Oh!” Felicity exclaims in surprise as the teenager wraps her up in a hug, grinning at her far more excitedly than the young girl had looked seconds before when they entered the room.

“You look so pretty, I love that dress,” Thea squeals as she pulls back, holding Felicity at arm's length and grinning widely at her. Felicity’s nerves settle further as she smiles at the younger girl, the bond between them getting ever so slightly surer in the way it shines the exact color of pink lemonade.

“Yours is gorgeous as well,” Felicity replies with a smile, her voice truthful as she takes in the black and gold, almost baroque style dress that clings tightly to Thea’s tiny frame.

“We never did schedule that lunch date, what are you doing on Saturday?” Thea questions with a smile that Felicity reciprocates, a familial connection tugging within her.

“I think I’m free,” She assures Thea, glancing over at Oliver who nods, assuring her that any tentative plans they may have had for Saturday can wait.

“Excellent. Tony’s, corner of Jefferson and 5th, 12:30. I’ll make a reservation,” Thea nods with all the confidence of an heiress and it makes Felicity chuckle as she nods too.

“I’ll be there,” She promises, squeezing Thea’s arm gently with a smile before she turns back to Oliver and consequently, Moira and Walter too.

“Miss Smoak, a pleasure to see you again,” Her boss smiles down at her, slight surprise evident in his voice but also warmth that makes Felicity smile back. It reassures her to know that she has Mr. Steele’s vote of confidence at the very least.

“Mr. Steele, Mrs. Queen,” She greets with a smile, it turning slightly more nervous as she turns to the matriarch who is still regarding Felicity with a curious expression.

“I wasn’t aware you were coming tonight,” Moira comments, looking Felicity over with a look she can’t quite decipher. She doesn’t appear to dislike Felicity’s outfit, which the blonde knows she would have no issues expressing if she did, so there’s a win there at the very least.

“I invited her,” Oliver comments plainly, stepping a little closer to Felicity as his arm wraps around her waist. It’s comforting, to know that she has him in her corner. Whilst she knows that she can handle her own battles, and she hopes Oliver is aware of that too, she has to admit it’s nice to have his support on something as personal to his as his mother’s disapproval of her.

“As I can see,” Moira comments aloofly and Felicity smiles reassuringly up at Oliver when he grits his teeth. She sees Walter out of the corner of her eyes, glaring at Moira disapprovingly, the bond between them that is usually a deep merlot turning just so slightly darker for a brief moment.

“A family picture?”

The awkward conversation is interrupted by the photographer who approaches, holding up the camera and gesturing to the Queens.

“I already sent out our Christmas cards,” Moira comments with a frown as Thea groans. Oliver, however, seems to perk up at the concept, and Felicity smiles, he really is handsome when he smiles.

“One just for us then,” He comments and Felicity squeezes his arm before she steps out the way, allowing the family of four to group together and smile for the camera. It’s a staged shot, but they all look like the picture-perfect snapshot of what the Queens have always been to the city; sparkling, rich, and beautiful.

As Felicity watches Thea’s face immediately fall after the flash goes off and the girl steps quickly away from her stepfather, she considers for the first time how suffocating an existence that must be for them all. She’s known for a while that it’s eating at Oliver but she hadn’t considered until now how that must also eat at the other members of his family, especially sweet, young, impressionable Thea.

“Mrs. Queen, these are for you,” A young man offers a bunch of flowers as he approaches, and Thea perks up a little. Felicity watches with a smile, assuming this is one of Thea’s friends from the fact that the two of them look to be around the same age and the affectionate look the young girl is sending the boy.

“Oh, how kind. I should put these in some water,” Moira comments with a polite nod and smile. Felicity briefly wonders whether she’d prefer to have received Moira Queen’s polite public face or the aloof coldness she got but she quickly settles on the fact that knowing the truth and where she stands with her is far more important to her.

“C’mon. Felicity, I’ll talk to you later,” Thea calls over her shoulder as she grabs the boy’s arm with a chuckle and tugs him out into the hallway. Felicity notices that Oliver is staring after the boy with narrowed eyes and an expression only an overprotective big brother could muster.

“We should talk,” Walter whispers to Moira, distracting Felicity’s attention. She’s quick to look away, lest the couple thinks she’s eavesdropping, but it’s not as if they’re being particularly quiet.

“Later. I’m going to put these in water,” Moira comments calmly, smiling at Oliver before she too leaves the room. Walter stands there for a moment, heaving out a sigh, before he follows after her, a frown on his usually warm face.

That just leaves Oliver and Felicity stood in the spot behind the couch and Felicity turns to look at him with a warm smile, grateful to see his eyes shining affectionately as he regards her.

“C’mere,” He smirks with an outstretched hand and Felicity briefly notes that she thinks she’d have to be sick or out of her mind to ever refuse such a request from him. Slipping her hand into his, she finds herself almost giggling as he tugs her into his arms and plants a kiss to her forehead. “Photographer!”

“Oliver, no,” Felicity immediately counters as his call registers and the photographer begins to make his way back over. Felicity’s eyes widen, her eyes shaking as she stares up at Oliver with a pleading look.

“Yes, I’d like a picture,” He counters simply, smiling that annoyingly beautiful smile back down at her and she curses him for being so _pretty_ when she’s trying to think.

“Why?”

“To remember how beautiful you look tonight,” Oliver shrugs as if it’s the simplest thing in the world and _gosh darn it_ if that isn’t incredibly sweet and sort of makes Felicity want to take the photo.

Darn Oliver Queen and his charming ways… they’ll be the death of her, she knows it.

“You’re a cheeseball when you want to be,” She scoffs with an affectionate roll of her eyes but she can’t stop the smile that spreads across her face.

“Don’t tell anyone, you’ll ruin my reputation,” He teases with a smirk and that has Felicity snorting, all concern flying out the window as she and Oliver fall back into their usual pattern.

“Because that’s so squeaky clean,” Felicity laughs, making Oliver smile down at her with sparkling eyes and a shrug.

“Touché,” Oliver grins, their eyes locking for a moment and Felicity’s smirk softens into a smile. Even in a crowded room, connections all around, and the possible triggers of a sensory overload endless, Oliver makes her feels calmer than she ever has. She feels safe, warm, and happy when she’s with him and she knows that no matter what, that will always be the case.

There’s a bright flash that makes Felicity jump, her body tensing, and her head begins to ache a little. Oliver rubs a comforting hand over her back, whispering to her what she already knows, that it’s just the photographer trying to get a candid shot. She does notice, once she opens her eyes, that Oliver is shooting death glares at the man as he asks him rather shortly to turn the flash off.

They move into a better position, taking a few posed shots with Oliver’s arm looped around her back and her hand resting on his chest until Oliver is satisfied and he smiles adorably down at Felicity. He’s not like this often in public, usually only in the confines of her apartment, and it makes her smile to see the way she can help him begin to let that guard of his down and have some fun.

“That’s all done for you, Mr. Queen,” The photographer tells him quickly, clearly a little nervous and Oliver merely looks at him, nodding his head. Felicity rolls her eyes, gently pushing her elbow into his side and eliciting a gasp and a pout, which is just hilarious considering what he does of a night.

“Excellent, thank you,” She smiles politely at the photographer in a warm tone, looking up at Oliver to urge him to do the same.

“Yeah, thanks,” The man tells the man who nods at the two of them before scurrying off.

Felicity’s just about to berate him for being rude when a loud voice calls across the room.

“Ollie!”

They both spin at the sound and Felicity frowns as two of Oliver’s connections begin to glow rather brightly. The first is a bright xanthic, looping across the room to connect to a tall, handsome man dressed in an expensive-looking suit who Felicity knows to be Tommy Merlyn. The second is more confusing. A deep grey anchor color winds across the party to a beautiful woman dressed in a tight red dress. Her long brown hair is curled around her head and she’s _gorgeous,_ but the oddly almost colorless nature of her bond with Oliver is what Felicity finds herself concentrating on. This is a woman Oliver clearly has a lot of history with, someone who has hurt him or he has hurt a significant amount. It’s rare to see two people with such a colored bond together, especially people as young as Oliver and this woman are. Felicity frowns, remembering what Oliver has told her of his friends from before the island and how they see him now and things seem to click into place in her mind.

Tommy Merlyn and Laurel Lance. Oliver’s best friend and ex-girlfriend.

Tonight really is going to be a rollercoaster.

“You okay to meet some more people?” Oliver questions softly and Felicity blinks a few times, her eyesight readjusting as she looks back to his face after staring at the bonds for a long moment. He’s watching her with a concerned expression, a gentle affection shining beneath the worry in his eyes, and that settles her nerves as she takes a deep breath and nods her head.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m good,” She reassures him with the best smile she can muster. She’ll admit that the room full of people is starting to wear on her, she’s tired, but she’ll persevere for Oliver, especially when her agreement puts such a bright and beautiful smile on his face.

“Okay,” He responds warmly, his arm rubbing over her bicep in such a gentle motion that it makes Felicity’s heart ache.

She’s never had anyone pay her so much attention but here is Oliver, knowing how difficult she finds these situations and paying her due reverence and ensuring that she’s coping. He really is unlike any man she’s ever known.

“Tommy, Laurel, so glad you could come!” Oliver greets when the pair make it over to them, Tommy smiling widely as he takes them in whereas Laurel opts for a more polite and reserved greeting.

“Hi Oliver,” She smiles softly at him, her eyes gentle as she greets him and Oliver smiles too, nodding his head at the beautiful brunette. Felicity watches them carefully, amazed at the dynamic she sees before her. It’s incredibly curious to her, as someone who spends so much of her time studying the relationships between people. Oliver and Laurel have clearly hurt each other and those scars clearly still run deep but there’s still an affection there. It’s not romantic, at all, that much is clear, but it’s a want for the other to be happy, for the other to experience what they maybe could’ve had with each other had they not hurt each other so. It’s complex and nuanced and Felicity is morbidly fascinated by the intricacy of it.

“Who’s this beautiful blonde on your arm, Ollie? That nightclub research proving fruitful, huh?” Tommy’s teasing voice pulls Felicity out of her thoughts and she frowns as she turns to look at the tall, dark-haired man who is smirking at her in a way she’s not particularly comfortable with. She can tell immediately, as their initial ribbon meets and forms in a pure white form, that Tommy assumes she’s merely one of Oliver’s conquests. It’s not that she’s bothered by the assumption for her, but it rubs her the wrong way to realize that the man before her has clearly not considered how much Oliver has changed and is still viewing him merely as the boy he was before the island, instead of the complex and multifaceted man he is now. He hasn’t considered how deeply the island has changed him, so desperate for his best friend to still be the person he knew. It is that, rather than any notion of judging _her,_ that gets under Felicity’s skin.

“I didn’t meet Felicity in a nightclub, Tommy. She’s a very respected employee in the IT department at Queen Consolidated,” Oliver replies quickly and Felicity leans into him when she notes the hard tone to his voice and the clench of his jaw. He’s clearly annoyed at Tommy for his initial judgment but Felicity won’t allow herself to be the reason the friends fight, so she subtly wraps her arm around his back to mirror his own around her shoulders, squeezing gently to reassure him that she’s okay.

“Oh, not your usual type,” Tommy comments simply in response, frowning as he clearly notes Oliver’s annoyance but doesn’t connect it to his words or actions.

“Sorry, Tommy can be a little rude. I’m Laurel, Oliver and I go way back,” The brunette interrupts, extending her hand out to Felicity and elbowing the handsome man next to her with a sigh as she does so. She levels Felicity with a polite smile, their ribbon forming before Felicity’s eyes, as she takes the pretty woman’s hand and shakes it formally.

“So I’ve heard,” She finds herself responding, still so curious about that anchor colored bond. Realizing she’s being rude, she shakes her head as she drops Laurel’s hand and straightens her shoulders, standing a little taller. “I’m Felicity, Felicity Smoak. As Oliver said, I work in IT at QC. We certainly didn’t meet in a nightclub. I don’t frequent those, too many lights and sounds for me. Not that I don’t like to socialize, I just…”

Her eyes widen as she finds herself rambling again and she briefly wonders if she’ll ever be able to meet a new person and not put her foot in her mouth. Just as she’s pondering her complete lack of ability to censor herself, Oliver’s hand rubs reassuringly over her forearm and he smiles at Tommy and Laurel.

“Felicity has the sight,” He explains simply for her and she stops talking with a sheepish smile and a nod as Tommy’s face morphs into excited surprise and Laurel raises a curious eyebrow as she tilts her head and appears to take Felicity in with a new light.

“The sight? Wow, I’ve never met anyone with the sight before!” Tommy exclaims in an impressed tone and Felicity smiles sheepishly as he looks her over, discerning her almost as if he could _see_ her ability on her.

Laurel, however, seems far less impressed by Oliver's revelation, raising an eyebrow as she speaks, her tone more judgemental than it was previously. “So, you’re Oliver’s date? Or has he told you there’s something more?”

“Laurel!” Oliver immediately counters, clear anger evident in his tone, and even Tommy turns to glare at her, clearly unimpressed that he’d been told off for what he saw as mindless teasing when Laurel turns around and says something twice as hurtful.

“A girl should know what she’s getting herself into,” The brunette counters quickly with a shrug of her shoulders and Felicity watches the way Oliver deflates at that, clearly upset by his supposed friend’s words.

That is what riles Felicity up. She knows not everyone in Oliver’s life is going to like her but for Laurel to stand there and speak of Oliver as if he’s some mindless heathen who hurts everyone he touches… that is something she won’t stand for. Especially not as she’s learning that Oliver is one of the kindest, sweetest, and most generous souls she knows.

“Says the woman dating Tommy Merlyn, who’s more of a renowned womanizer than Oliver, no offense,” Felicity bites back, more venom in her tone than initially intended. Tommy raises an impressed eyebrow, looking far more stunned than annoyed, but Laurel clearly gets the message, her expression dropping.

“I wasn’t trying to offend, I’m sorry,” She tries to repair but Felicity shakes her head.

“Oh, but you were. I know you and Oliver have a history but you and Oliver are not Oliver and I. Ours is a different story to tell,” She states simply with a shrug of her shoulders and Laurel sighs at that, nodding her head with a resignation to her expression. Felicity glances up at Oliver to see him smiling down at her, a sense of awe in his expression, and she smiles back, feeling her heart glow with that warm affection for him.

“But there _is_ a story to tell?” Tommy interrupts, clearly unable to help himself as he smiles at the two of them, wiggling his eyebrows a little. Felicity laughs at that, things becoming a little clearer in her head as to why Oliver would consider Tommy such a close friend. He’s funny and sweet, even if he is clearly clinging to the Oliver he knew before the island instead of taking the time to learn who Oliver is now.

“We’re taking things slow,” Oliver answers simply, his eyes still on Felicity as he speaks, that affection shining in his eyes and making Felicity’s stomach do somersaults. She’s never known a man to be so reverent or gentle with her and it means so much to her to know that he’s willing to take things slow, especially considering how badly she’s been hurt before.

It’s clear that Tommy and Laurel are taken aback by Oliver’s words when Felicity finally tears her gaze off of those shining big blue eyes. Both of them are staring at Oliver as if he’s grown two heads and the billionaire frowns when he registers that too, looking at his friends curiously.

“What?”

“I’m sorry, I just wasn’t aware Oliver Queen could do slow,” Laurel answers first, blinking in slight amazement as she seems to take Oliver in as if he were a whole new person.

“I’ve seen you charm a girl out of her underwear in thirty seconds flat,” Tommy adds with a disbelieving chuckle and Oliver shrugs a little sheepishly, the arm that is still looped around Felicity pulling her ever so slightly closer.

“Yeah, well… I’m not that man anymore,” He counters with a simple shrug, smiling down at Felicity reassuringly when she looks up at him.

“Thank Google because I am not that _girl_ either,” She reminds him with a raised eyebrow and a poke to his chest that he pretends hurts when they both know he barely felt it through all that muscle.

“I know,” He answers in a promise-like whisper, his eyes locking on hers for a moment, the promise of what is to come between them lingering in the air like an incoming storm. It’s the sort of feeling you get when you know rain is coming after weeks and weeks of nothing but pure sun. It’s heavy anticipation, begging for relief, but also lingering in a moment that is beautiful in and of itself.

“Wow,” Tommy whispers under his breath, but it’s startling enough to draw Oliver and Felicity out of their daze, Felicity’s cheeks flushing as she remembers they’re not alone.

Oliver looks around the room with a covering cough, his brow furrowing as he clearly searches for someone. After a moment he sighs and looks down at Felicity with a tentative smile. “I’m just going to find where Thea ran off to. Will you be okay?”

“Yeah,” Felicity reassures him gently, wanting him to feel comfortable even though the idea of being left alone with Tommy and Laurel is a little more than daunting.

“I’ll look after her, Ollie, don’t you worry,” Tommy smirks, nudging Felicity with his elbow, and whilst Felicity laughs, Oliver just shakes his head.

“Because that’s so reassuring,” He comments softly with an affectionate roll of his eyes. He looks at Felicity for another long moment, eyebrow raised in question as to whether he should go, but Felicity just nods her head, practically ushering him towards the door. He smiles at her, stooping to press a gentle and reverent kiss to her cheek before he nods at his friends and heads out the room.

Felicity is saved from too much awkward conversation with Tommy and Laurel by Mr. Diggle, who appears at her side and whisks her away under the illusion of needing her help to locate Oliver. The handsome couple waves her away with smiles, genuine from Tommy and still reserved from Laurel, and Felicity sighs in relief just for a moment as Oliver’s security guard and right-hand man leads her away from the party to an upstairs sitting room.

That relief is short-lived when she spots what he’s trying to show her.

The copycat archer has struck again and this time, he’s taken hostages.

Diggle leaves to collect Oliver and within seconds, her soulmate is readying to head out into the field, determined that these people will not die because of him and what he deems his ‘recklessness’. Both Felicity and Diggle try to divert him, to get him to take more time and care before he jumps into battle but for the first time, Felicity bears witness to the way Oliver is motivated purely by emotion. He won’t listen to reason and he’s out in the field before Felicity can even over to run a program that might make this a bit easier.

The resigned expression on Diggle’s face tells her all that she needs to know. This is how Oliver operates when situations like this occur. Fight first, think later.

She can’t help but feel the dread rise in her stomach at the idea of it all.

She follows along carefully with Diggle, picking up on how the two men work as Oliver fights. They have comms and that’s how the security guard keeps a track on the archer. Felicity busies herself thinking of ways their system could be improved so as to not let the worry and fear consume her as she bears full witness to the brutality of Oliver’s night job for the first time.

He rescues the hostages but Felicity feels her heart leap into her throat as she listens through the small comm to him confronting the copycat archer. Digg turns it off when he notices the distress she’s in, listening to ever scrape and yell and bump of his body as it fights. That’s almost worse, however, as the silence grips Felicity, wondering just what could be going wrong, all the ways he could be getting hurt. To think that they might be over before they even begin, it’s too much for her, and she finds herself reaching down, gripping onto their bond with a vice-like grip.

She doesn’t know if she’s ever been so scared in her life.

Finally, _finally,_ the comm beeps with a request from Oliver and his voice sounds through but what comes is not a gentle reassurance that he’s okay.

“Digg… help, _help,”_ He calls, fear evident even through the crackly receiver of the device, and Felicity gasps, looking over at the tall security guard in a panic.

“Shit, we got to move,” Diggle comments as he leaps up, pulling a tablet out of his jacket and handing it over to Felicity. “You’re better at this than me. Can you backtrace his CD and triangulate his location? It’ll be easier if I drive whilst you do that, we’ll get to him quicker.”

“I… I…” Felicity finds herself stuttering, staring down at the tablet that holds all of the information about the system Oliver and Diggle use. She knows technology, she knows that this is something she can do, but as she stares at it, all she can think about is how much pain he must be in right now and how she couldn’t prevent this.

Suddenly, Diggle’s hand lands on her shoulder and her eyes fly up to see him staring down at her with trust and reassurance in his eyes. Their bond begins to glow the color of lavender, the purple color bright and reassuring as his trust in her becomes clear. “Felicity, Oliver needs your help. We need to find him and get him to the hospital, okay?”

His words jolt her into action and Felicity takes a deep breath and nods, looking back down to the tablet with a refound focus. She couldn’t stop Oliver from getting hurt but she can help him now, he _needs_ her to help him now, and she won’t fall at the first hurdle. She trusts Diggle to guide her through the party and out the door, her head buried in the tablet, working as he leads her out to a large van that she has to jump to climb into.

“Got him!” She cries in relief just as Diggle starts to pull away and the tall man turns to look at her in amazement.

“Already?” He questions and the astonishment in his voice settles Felicity’s nerves even further. She’s done it, quicker than Diggle was expecting and hopefully, that means they can get to Oliver before too much damage sets in.

“What can I say? You knew I was good,” She comments even as the fear grips her once more. She concentrates on directing Diggle to Oliver, glancing between the tablet and the road as she leads him to the abandoned warehouse and the street behind it that Oliver’s tracer is bleeping from. They arrive only five minutes after Oliver made the cry for help and Felicity is relieved at her ability to work quickly as the sight of him before them enters her eyes.

Oliver is there, slumped on the concrete of the ground. He’s clearly in pain but he’s also clearly breathing. Felicity forces herself to concentrate on that as she and Diggle stumble from the van, rushing over to where his body is slumped on the street.

“Jesus Christ, man. You’ve really done it this time,” Diggle winces as he looks him over, shaking his head with a sigh.

“Digg…” Oliver groans from the floor and Felicity watches as the tall security guard sighs, bending over to lift him from the floor before he heads to the van.

“Felicity… doors,” He calls, and that jerks Felicity into actions, forcing her to take her eyes off the blood soaking through Oliver’s suit and move to the back of the van to tug open the doors. Diggle is clearly struggling with Oliver’s dead weight and Felicity finds herself climbing into the van to accept him from the security guard before she really knows what she’s doing.

Together, they settle him on the bench with his head in Felicity’s lap, the blonde’s hands shaking as she hovers them over him, almost scared to touch him for fear of hurting him further.

“I’ll drive, get that muck off his face whilst I get us to the hospital,” Diggle tells her in a calm tone, reaching for a pack of wipes on a shelf above Felicity’s head and handing it to her.

“Got it,” She nods, grateful for Diggle’s calm resolve. She supposes that’s a hangover from his days in the army, there’s no time for panic and fear when you’re in the middle of a war zone. Resolving herself, she takes a deep breath and looks Oliver over, reminding herself of the fact that he’s still breathing. He’s still alive, he’s still with her, he’s not going anywhere, not yet.

“’ _li-ci-ty…”_ Oliver groans out as he stares up at her from her lap, his eyes struggling to focus as she wipes the grease off from around his eyes, being careful but quick as she does so.

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re okay. We’re taking you to the hospital,” She reassures him as Diggle begins to drive, taking off at a speed that she’s sure must be speeding.

“No, secret…” Oliver groans out but Felicity just scoffs at that, shaking her head. It baffles her a little, how she can be so scared of losing him but still so amused by his behavior simultaneously. She thinks she knows exactly what that means actually, but admitting that? That incites fear almost as gripping as the kind running through her veins right now.

“We know, you pinehead. That’s why I’m de-hoodifying you,” She tells him with a soft chuckle, moving onto to wipe some of the muck from his face once she finishes with the grease around his eyes.

Luckily, they weren’t too far from Starling General and Diggle is already pulling into the parking lot of the ER.

“Smarts… you’re smarts… my ‘li-ci-ty…” Oliver groans as the doors open to reveal the tall security guard and Felicity flushes when Diggle scoffs with an affectionate roll of his eyes as he hears Oliver’s words.

“Okay, lover boy, calm down. We’re not going to subject Felicity to undressing you,” He comments as he climbs into the van, accepting Oliver’s weight from Felicity. “Go inside and tell the ER he had a motorcycle accident. Possible broken ribs, puncture wound in his side, and possible concussion. Got that?”

“Got it,” Felicity nods, looking down at Oliver for a moment. She would have undressed him if needed but also, she wants the first time she seems him naked to be special and something beautiful to be shared between the two of them… not because she has to hide his secret identity whilst they attempt to save his life. She’s grateful to Diggle for respecting that.

“’li-ci-ty…” Oliver groans as she stands and that has her crouching in front of him again in two seconds flat, smoothing his hair away from his face.

“I’m just going inside, sweetheart. Diggle’s right here, okay?” She soothes, the term of endearment slipping out before she even realizes she _wants_ to say it, but she’s certainly not complaining as it makes Oliver smile a dull smile.

“Okay,” He almost whispers, nuzzling into her cheek for a moment before she nods and stands.

“Good,” She states, turning and fleeing the van before she can linger too much on Diggle’s amused and disbelieving chuckle and shake of his head.


	8. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Oliver's run-in with the Dark Archer leads to development in more than one area.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, thank you so much for such a wonderfully positive reaction to the last chapter, I am so grateful that you all are enjoying this story so much! I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter too, it's a big one. If you do, and you're so inclined, please let me know by leaving a kudos and/or comment, they make my day!

When Oliver awakens, he feels blearier than he has in ages. His torso is throbbing with a dull ache and his entire body is just generally thrumming with the usual post-mission pain. His head is pounding with a headache and as his eyes attempt to acclimatize, he realizes he’s not on the ground in an alley like he expected. He’s not even in the Foundry; he’s in a bright room, laying in a bed that is surprisingly comfortable and it takes him a moment, but he realizes he’s in hospital.

The moments after the fall from the window suddenly come flooding back to him. Diggle arriving and lifting him into the van, the softness of Felicity’s hands as she wiped the grease from around his eyes and the gentle press of her lips to his cheek before she took off into the hospital. He’s safe, he’s okay, because Diggle and Felicity made sure he was. His heart glows with affection for the two of them and a soft smile spreads across his face as he looks over to see them both stood by the window.

Both look worried, Felicity is curled into Diggle’s side, her eyes teary, and Oliver feels his heart ache at the sight. She’s clearly upset. It’s odd, to be confronted so completely by how his actions as the Hood can hurt those around him. With Diggle, he knows his security guard doesn’t always like the way he works, thinks he works with his heart and not his head, but he doesn’t get upset about it. To see Felicity, who Oliver is very quickly coming to realize is the most important non-family member in his life, so upset by the thought of him being hurt, it makes his gut twist in an unfamiliar way. He doesn’t want to be the cause of her hurting, even if it is second hand. Not for the first time, he worries that he’s pulled her too deep into all of this.

“What are you two doing looking so glum over there?” He finds himself croaking out, his voice far croakier than he expected but it has the desired effect. Both Felicity and Diggle’s heads swivel around to look at him and relief floods both their faces, the former rushing over to his bedside.

“Oliver! Oh, thank Google!” Felicity calls out in clear relief and Oliver cannot hold back the grunt he releases as she crashes into him, wiggling her arms around him. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean... oh I’m just excited to see you awake!”

She flutters back and Oliver feels a pout cross his face as she steps back. He immediately misses the warmth her body provided and the immediate comfort it provided him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you,” Oliver finds himself croaking, lifting a hand out towards her. Felicity frowns but doesn’t move as he gently brushes her hair away from her face. She’s still dressed in her outfit from the party, though Oliver blanches a little as he realizes that her gorgeous dress has been splattered with some of his blood. It’s a visual reminder of how this part of his life is all consuming, of how they can’t even enjoy a night at a party without her ending up covered in his blood. Despite that all, a serious sense of guilt begins to thrum through him as he realizes just how much he likes her being here. He likes her being involved in this part of his life, he likes having her close in these moments. She provides him with a strength he knows he’d never be able to muster on his own.

“I’m always going to worry about you,” Felicity responds in a quiet voice, reaching up and grasping his hand in hers. She presses it to her cheek, nuzzling into him with such reverence and affection that it takes Oliver’s breathe away. She’s so beautiful and sweet and he wonders for the millionth time since he met her just what he’s done to deserve her. What he does know, however, is that he will do anything to keep her in his life. She’s everything to him and that’s a moment of clarity he didn’t expect to have in a hospital room after being almost murdered by a foe but as she stands there, bathed in industrial lighting, Oliver knows it’s the truest thought he’s had in a while.

Diggle explains his injuries before he slips out the room, explaining he’s going to give them a moment and explain to his family that he took a fall off his motorbike. He smiles at the two of them, nodding his head at Oliver before he slips out the room and the billionaire vigilante turns back to see Felicity staring at their enjoyed hands with tears in her eyes.

“Felicity? Sweetheart? What’s wrong?” The term of endearment slips past his lips without even thinking and the memory of her referring to him in the same way in the back of the van comes flooding back. He squeezes her hand, reaching out with the other to drop the side of the hospital bed and tug her towards him. She looks worried for a moment but Oliver insists, pulling her down to sit on the bed next to him and wrapping his arm around her. “Please talk to me, Felicity.”

“I just... when Diggle asked me to help earlier, I put aside all that worry and fear and I concentrated on doing what I know I can do. I found you and then I cleaned you up. I came in here and I told them what Diggle said to say and that was all okay, because there was something to do. I was terrified but I channeled that fear into something productive. Then they took you into the ER,” Felicity explains, her voice trailing off as she reaches the end. Her tone fills with worry and fear and Oliver holds her closer, wishing he could take that all away, cursing himself for being the one to make her feel like this.

“Felicity...” He tries to comfort her but she just takes a deep breath, shaking her head.

“I know it’s something I need to get past, especially with what you do. You saved five people’s lives tonight and you’re still here, you’re okay... I just... you know I haven’t made that many connections of my own?” She questions, shifting a little so that she can look up at him properly. Oliver’s heart clenches when he sees the way her eyes fill with tears and he shifts their positions, sliding his hand down her arm to grip her hands tightly.

“Because of your ability?” He prompts softly, knowing that the fact sensory overloads are common when in public spaces and a lack of understanding of those with the ability has made making friends difficult for Felicity.

“Well yes but... there’s also something else,” Felicity responds, breaking their eye contact to look down. She takes a few deep breaths as she stares at their enjoined hands before she reaches out with one of them, directing Oliver’s hand to wrap around something he cannot see. He knows instantly that it’s their connection when he feels that familiar pull in his stomach. It fills him with affection for her, all-consuming as if it might just spill out of him, and it seems to give Felicity the strength she needs to go on as she sighs and looks back up at him with those heartbreakingly teary eyes. “When I was little, my father was my favorite person in the entire world. He taught me how to build computers, taught me so much. He loved talking to me and he made me feel like the most special girl in the world. He was everything to me and then one day, when I was seven, he was just gone.”

Felicity’s voice is shaky, she’s clearly struggling to get through telling this story and Oliver can tell from that alone that sharing this is something that is incredibly difficult for her. She looks back down towards her chest, to what Oliver assumes are her connections, and he wonders briefly what that thread to her father looks like now.

“Felicity... I am so sorry,” He finds himself saying, squeezing their hands which are still entwined, and Felicity sighs, looking up at him with vulnerability shining in her eyes. It breaks Oliver’s heart but he’s also so grateful that she trusts him enough to share this with him.

“I thought he loved me. I thought even if he and my mom weren’t the most in love that I could be enough. But I wasn’t. He left. The pain that caused me, watching our connection fade to black slowly each and every day as he never came home... it was one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced. The thought of going through that again, losing someone that important to me again, I can’t do it. I just can’t.”

Her voice cracks as she finishes speaking, her eyes welling up further as the tears begin to flow down her cheeks and Oliver moves quickly, ignoring the pain in his side as he scoops her into his arms and holds her tightly. Rubbing his hand over her back, he presses a soft kiss to the top of her head, hoping to convey every inch of the deep affection he feels for her through his arms. Her shoulders shake with a sob but she calms relatively quickly, her hand fisted in the fabric of his t-shirt as she curls into him.

After a few moments, Oliver slows his rubbing of her back, moving his hand to her chin and tilting her gaze up so that he’s staring right into those beautiful, blue eyes filled with such vulnerability and pain.

“Felicity. I know that what I do is dangerous. I know it’s scary and there are times when the payoff doesn’t seem worth the sacrifice. But I believe it does and I am making a promise to you right here and right now that I will always do everything I can to come home to you. You are the best thing that’s happened to me in such a long time and no matter how important my mission is to me, you are more important. You’re the most important, always.”

Oliver is surprised at himself as he speaks. These are promises, things he told himself he should stop making to keep those around him safe. That was before Felicity though, before she walked into his life and switched it all on its head. He’s making promises to her, ones he knows he will keep, ones that he’s determined to keep, because… because his feelings for her are unlike anything he’s ever known and he needs her in his life, for as long as possible.

“You really mean that?” Felicity questions, those teary, beautiful eyes looking at him with such vulnerability that it makes Oliver’s heart ache. He rubs his thumb over the soft slope of her cheek, making Oliver’s heart glow as she nuzzles into his palm adorably.

“I do. You have been the most unexpected but incredible thing about coming home. Thinking of you is sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day. I would never sacrifice that for the mission. Never,” He promises to her, feeling his own gaze soften considerably as he stares at her. Felicity takes a deep breath, looking down to her lap before she looks back up at Oliver, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. She looks so small, vulnerable, and yet Oliver can still spot that fire and determination behind her eyes that has drawn Oliver to her since they met. She’s a walking dichotomy, so in tune with others’ emotions, but Oliver can tell she struggles with her own… just like he does.

“Oliver... being vulnerable, it’s so hard for me. The scars of my past, they haunt me. It scares me to get close to someone, leave before you get left, you know? But you... you make me want to be vulnerable, you make me want to let you in, to show you who I am beneath all of these walls and to get to know you properly.”

Felicity’s voice is filled with awe as she speaks, staring at him with wonder behind her eyes. Oliver finds himself staring back at her with an expression filled with equal wonder, still so amazed at the idea that this woman… this woman is here before him and she’s his _soulmate._

It’s still so baffling to him that someone as dark as him is deserving of someone as pure and light as Felicity.

“Properly as in...?” Oliver cannot help be ask, not wanting to allow himself to hope but already allowing that optimism to take over his chest as he breathes in a deep breath.

“As in as my soulmate. Fully, completely, for us to learn to be each other’s and to love each other without anything else between us,” Felicity answers softly, reaching out and twirling her fingers gently through the fabric of Oliver’s t-shirt.

Oliver freezes at that word… _love._

How many times has he dreamed over the past five years that maybe… maybe one day… he might be able to feel love fill him up once more. He’s always loved Thea and his family but to love another person in the way that he’s learning to with Felicity… that’s something so completely different and all-consuming and it terrifies Oliver but it’s also so addicting.

“I want that too,” He tells her honestly, the hand that isn’t resting on her cheek moving to grasp hers. He tugs it loose of his shirt, entwining their fingers together, and Felicity stares down at them.

“You do?” She questions, that belief behind her eyes wavering for a moment. Oliver smiles with a small nod. He doesn’t know what’s giving him such a strong sense of belief right now but he’ll channel it for the both of them if he needs to. There’s just something about Felicity, she’s so completely different to anything he’s ever felt or experienced before.

“I do. Felicity, you’re the first person to know exactly who I am and to not judge me for it. You’re learning every part of me and finding out more about you is the most incredible adventure, and I’ve had a lot of those. I want to be your soulmate, completely and fully,” Oliver admits, his body shaking with the effort it takes to speak the things he’s feeling aloud. He’s scared of this, just like Felicity is, but he knows that Felicity is worth it. He thinks Felicity would be worth almost anything.

“So...” Felicity starts, a small smile spreading across her face as she lifts her free hand to gently fiddle with their entwined fingers.

“So... would it be okay if I kissed you?” Oliver asks softly, smiling too as he gently brushes the thumb of the hand that still rests on her cheek across the soft skin there.

“I’d like that very much,” Felicity confirms with a bright grin and Oliver takes in a deep breath, his heart glowing as he steps back, wanting to savor this moment.

He stares into the deep blue of her eyes, glimmering with tears behind her glasses and he loses his breath, completely taken aback by the beauty of the woman before him. She’s stunning, but what sets Felicity apart is the way that beauty also shines through her personality and soul. She’s so much more than that pretty face and Oliver knows that he wants to know it all; the good, the bad, and everything in-between. His breath hitches as he leans forward, keeping her soft cheek cupped in his hand as he gently tugs her into the most incredible kiss he’s ever experienced. Felicity’s soft lips move against his own and it’s indescribably beautiful, but it’s not just the feeling of the kiss that has Oliver feel like he’s floating. As they kiss, a warmth spreads through his veins, as if making its way into his darkest spots and filling them with Felicity’s characteristic light.

“Whoa,” Felicity blinks as they pull apart, her eyes widening and she blinks as if she’s just been staring into a bright light.

“Whoa is right,” Oliver smiles with a contented sigh. It’s like one kiss from Felicity has counteracted every ounce of pain he was feeling following the mission.

“No... it... it was beautiful,” Felicity presses, looking around just behind Oliver and he realizes that she’s staring at the bond.

“The bond?” He questions to confirm and Felicity nods, clearly a little dazed.

“Yeah, I don’t know how to describe it apart from... imagine that you see happiness. That’s what it was,” Felicity grins, her voice filled with complete awe as she reaches out to fiddle with their enjoined hands once more.

“What color? You said sometimes when we do things, the bond will shine a specific color,” Oliver questions gently, his voice so soft as he moves the hand on her cheek to tuck her hair behind her ear.

“All of them. A lot of white,” Felicity explains, a small blush on her cheeks as she smiles up at Oliver through her lashes.

“What does white mean?” He presses, completely amazed by the concept of Felicity’s gift and how she wields it. It’s amazing and a part of her, so of course he wants to know everything he can about it.

“Purity. If a bond remains white with someone you know well, it means you have the purest of relationships. It’s rare and ours is more opal than anything else, shimmering with all the colors I know but... that was a lot of white.”

“That sounds beautiful,” Oliver replies, an awe almost matching Felicity’s own slipping into his tone of voice.

“It was,” Felicity whispers, and Oliver cannot help it, he reaches out to gently pull her into another kiss.

* * *

Felicity is still riding on a high as she steps out the shower later that day. Leaving Oliver in the hospital was hard but she knows she needs to let his family in and fawn over him the way she was. That sweet feeling that has thrummed through her veins since she and Oliver kissed in the hospital earlier still warms her limbs. She can’t believe how contented she feels. She’s still scared, terrified even of losing him, but for the first time in a long time, she feels like love is worth the risk of heartbreak. She’s combing through her curls when the soft rapt on her bedroom window makes her almost fall off her vanity stool.

She swivels around, calming when her connection to Oliver starts to glow as she spots that it is indeed the billionaire vigilante perched on her outside windowsill. She frowns, tugging her unzipped hoodie tighter around her as she moves to open the window, stepping back as Oliver stumbles into the room.

It’s only when he straightens that Felicity realizes how rough he looks. His eyes are a little red, as if he’s been crying, and his shoulders are tense, even more than usual as he regards her with a nervous look.

“Oliver, sweetheart... what’s wrong?” Felicity immediately finds herself questioning, moving towards him with a concerned frown. She reaches out for him and he practically collapses into her arms, all fight and tension leaving him as they fall to the bed. Felicity holds Oliver up, one arm around her back and the other clasping his between their bodies. She loops her fingers around their bond and tugs. The reaction is almost instantaneous; Oliver slumps into her further, relaxing into her and losing all remaining tension as she rubs her hand over his back.

“I... it’s Walter, he’s been kidnapped,” Oliver finally manages to get out, twisting his head within her embrace to look up at her. Felicity freezes, of all the things... she certainly didn’t expect it to be that. She feels awful to know that she’s been riding a high from their kiss whilst Walter, kind Walter, has had the worst night of his life, not to mention Oliver and the rest of their family.

“Oh my... I... what happened?” Felicity shakes, trying to clear her head. Oliver needs her right now and she needs to be strong for him.

“I don’t know. He went to QC to check up on something and he never came home. The surveillance footage from the elevator showed him being knocked out and taken,” Oliver sighs, standing from the bed and beginning to pace. Felicity knows it’s an impulsive reaction, the stress literally coursing through him and she reaches out, tugging him back to the bed.

“Sit down, it’s okay. We’re going to find him,” She tells him with a voice far more confident than she feels. She’s grateful for it though, when Oliver looks up at her with eyes so soft and vulnerable that she just wants to wrap him up and hold him for the rest of the night.

“How?”

“I can look through the security footage, there might be something the police are missing. And we know this is probably something to do with the list...” Felicity begins to babble, turning to look to her desk where her tablet is sat but Oliver grasps her wrist before she can stand.

“Felicity, no. I don’t want you involved in this. You know about the list, you could be next,” He tells her with wide, scared eyes, and Felicity slumps as she finally realizes why he’s been avoiding looking her in the eye since he climbed through the window. He’s not only scared for his stepfather and his family, but for her too.

“Oliver, exactly. I know about the list. I’m already involved. Would I not be safer with you?” She responds, keeping her voice calm as she tilts her head. It’s a bit of a cruel move, she knows, when Oliver’s as emotional as he is right now, but it has the desired effect as he slumps in defeat.

“Felicity...” He tries but she shakes her head, holding true to her conviction.

“No. I want to find Walter. He’s always been nice to me and I’m part of the reason he’s been taken, I pushed him to investigate it and now, he’s paid the price. I need to help you find him,” She insists, feeling the emotion rise in her properly. She respects Walter an immense amount and she’s right that she’s part of the reason he’s in this mess to start with. She needs to rectify that and helping Oliver is the best chance they’ve got.

Oliver sighs at her words and Felicity can see the cacophony of emotions pass across his face before finally... their bond shines a purple color as resignation crosses his face.

“Okay, okay, but you stay in the foundry, okay?” He tells her gently and Felicity smiles, glad that he’s not fighting her on this. She hopes that they can work together properly and she knows that they can help each other in this. Even if Oliver hadn’t accepted, she knows she would’ve needed to do something to help find Walter, so she’s glad he’s accepting her helping.

“Believe me, I have no desire to beat anyone up. I’ll leave that to you and all your muscles. Oh hey, I don’t have to attempt to excuse myself for that anymore!” Felicity grins and that finally brings a smile to Oliver’s face as their bond glows pink in warm affection and she blushes a little but leans into where his hand is still wrapped gently around her arm.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” Oliver sighs but there’s a tender affection to his voice that makes Felicity smile nervously.

“In a good way?”

“The best,” Oliver smiles, bending to gently brush his lips against hers. She relaxes into him, that same warm feeling flowing through her as it did earlier. The bond glows just as brightly as it did in the hospital room, looping around their heads and bathing them in the warm glow of their own connection. They’re both smiling as they pull apart, softening to a gentle look as Oliver sighs and stands, offering his hand. “Come on, we’ve got some work to do I guess.”

* * *

“No.”

Oliver sighs as he stands on the other side of the foundry to where Felicity is currently setting up a new computer system that she insisted on compiling from the spare parts that seem to litter her back room. He is trying to not look at her very nice backside as she bends over to set it up and instead concentrate on his frowning partner and security guard.

“Diggle,” Oliver counters with another sigh, forcing himself to stop thinking about Felicity and concentrate on... well Felicity, but specifically, Diggle’s aversion to her joining their little team.

“No, Oliver,” Diggle insists, crossing his arms with a frown. They’ve been arguing for a good ten minutes, just after Diggle arrived to find Felicity already setting up her new system.

“We can keep her safe,” Oliver counters, gesturing between the two of them and Diggle sighs, looking back to where Felicity has now stood and is shifting things around on the metal table. Her frame looks so small here, still dressed in her leggings and hoodie like Oliver found her in her bedroom earlier. Her hair has mostly dried and is a little crazy around her head, Oliver’s never seen it in its naturally curly state and down around her shoulders before. She seems so much smaller down here but Oliver knows she’s worth someone ten times her small size.

“And what if we can’t? I’m not putting a sweet girl’s blood on my hands,” Diggle huffs, turning back to look at Oliver with an unimpressed raised eyebrow.

“She’s stronger than she seems,” Oliver presses, knowing his words to be true even if he understands all of Diggle’s reservations deep within his soul.

“I don’t doubt that but what we do is not safe by any stretch of the imagination,” The tall man continues to implore and Oliver sighs, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“I know that, Diggle, but she’ll be down here. She’ll be safe,” Oliver reiterates what he’s been saying for the past ten minutes and also what he’s been telling himself all night since Felicity put her foot down in her bedroom earlier. He knows he won’t be able to convince her not to sign on with them so he needs the reassurance that she’ll be safe. It’s the only way he’s staying sane with all of this.

Luckily for him, Felicity apparently finishes and makes her way over to them with an adorable skip in her step and a bright smile on her face.

“All set up! Which is good because let me tell you, my assessment about your setup looking like it was from the 80s? Very valid. You needed some serious improvements. It’s a good thing you’ve got me now,” She explains with a light voice as she looks between the two of them with a wide grin on her face. It’s also a dichotomy, to have something as bright and glowing down here as she is, but Oliver is glad for it. She’s permeated life into every other aspect of his life, it only makes sense she would get around to this dingy basement at some point.

“We do, huh?” Diggle asks her, a small smile spreading on his face but it’s minute and Oliver barely spots it. It makes sense, therefore, that Felicity’s face falls, suddenly regarding Diggle with a nervous expression.

“Well, Oliver said...” She starts but then trails off, looking to Oliver and then back to Diggle. Oliver recognizes the moment his security guard gives in as the exact moment Felicity tilts her head and pouts in her adorable way. He knows that he’s going to seriously struggle to say no to that pout for many years to come, but he can’t find it in himself to be annoyed by that.

“I’m kidding, Felicity. Welcome aboard. I have some conditions though,” Diggle chuckles, rendering Felicity with an affectionate smile and a friendly pat on the arm before he levels her with a more serious look.

“Go ahead.”

Oliver has to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling as Felicity crosses her arms and does her best impression of Diggle’s serious look. She’s far too cute for it and it makes his heart glow with affection for her.

“As Oliver said, as best we can, you do all your work in here and you let me teach you some self-defense,” Diggle explains in a clear tone, though Oliver can tell that Felicity’s light is affecting him too. There’s the ghost of a smile starting on his face and Oliver cannot help but grin to see that she’s permeating her way through more than just _his_ walls.

“You want to train me?” Felicity questions, the surprise on her face evident as she looks up at Diggle. Oliver understands her confusion and he’s not a fan of the training plan, to be honest, but he knows that it’s the right move.

“I want you to be able to look after yourself if it’s needed. It’ll make me feel more comfortable,” Diggle explains and Oliver sighs, knowing that his wise friend is correct. Felicity frowns, looking between the two of them with her usual perceptive expression on her face.

“If it’s okay with you, it’s okay with me,” She comments, and Oliver frowns when he realizes that she’s looking at him.

“It’s okay with me,” Oliver tells her, the lump in his throat growing as he admits it aloud. He knows that Felicity’s right, that she’s already far more involved in this than he’d ever like her to be, and that it’s safer for her to do what she’s going to do down here than out there on her own. That doesn’t mean he has to like the fact that he’s leading her right into danger.

“Good. We’ll start on Saturday afternoon,” Diggle tells them, smiling softly down at Felicity. Oliver knows that they’ve met before, they were collaborating to find him earlier after all, but seeing them down here together… it’s something else. 

“Sounds good. Thank you, Mr. Diggle,” Felicity smiles and Oliver can’t help but smile as she bounces a little excitedly on her toes.

“You can call me Digg,” Diggle assures her, the smile growing on his face and Felicity’s does too.

“Okay, Digg,” She nods, twisting her shoulders with a preening tilt, clearly proud that she’s gained the right from Diggle to refer to him by his nickname. It’s so endearing and Oliver knows that it must mean a lot. He knows that her gift has meant she’s struggled to make connections of her own so, even though the thought of her joining the team terrifies him, he can’t help but smile at the fact that she’s making new connections and friendships.

“Alright, we’ve got a CEO to find,” Oliver nods, clapping his hands together to snap himself out of the dazed feelings swimming around in his brain as he stares at Felicity.

Her being down here is going to be an adjustment for them all, it seems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Just an announcement that I'll be taking a few weeks break from posting because I was trying to catch up with myself but events in the past few weeks have meant that that just hasn't been possible. I believe this is a relatively good place to leave it for a little while and sincerely hope to be back posting very soon!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity settles into life in the Foundry, as well as bonds with those closest to her soulmate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see, I know! Life has been crazy but over the holidays, I've had the time to stop and settle back into this story and we're hitting the last stretch now. I hope you have all had safe and relaxing holidays and that you enjoy this next installment :)

The next few weeks are an adjustment for sure. 

Felicity’s days shift completely, her previously boring days flowing into long nights spent in the Foundry.

It’s odd to her, how much she enjoys spending time in the dank, dark space Oliver calls the home base of his operation. The Foundry is dirty and damp and she’s almost slipped over at least ten times from the wet floor. Despite that, Felicity finds herself looking forward to the time she spends down there each night, the computer setup feeling almost homely whenever she settles before it and gets to work. It’s cold down there, but when Oliver chuckles from Digg’s teasing as they train on the mats behind her or when Digg’s hand drops comfortingly down on her shoulder after he places a new tray of takeout food before her, she feels more at home than she ever has in her apartment. 

She feels settled and contented in the Foundry now, but it’s incredibly frustrating to know that, despite that, they’re basically no closer to finding Walter. Oliver and Diggle have been using all their resources, hounding the streets every night to try and locate Walter using their tracking expertise. Felicity works on continuing to research Tempest and what she can find out about it, cross-referencing the names on the list with those Oliver has already taken down. 

It’s an odd job and it makes Felicity feel a little sick, knowing that many of the names she’s staring at have already met their end with one of Oliver’s arrows through them. She forces herself to remain objective in her analysis, trying to find anything that might link these lists to Oliver’s family. 

It doesn’t make any sense to Felicity. These names are all Moira and Robert’s people. The list is full of people just like them, those who run the large conglomerates that litter the business district of Starling City. However, neither Moira's nor Robert’s names are on the list, but they were clearly involved. By the looks of things, they owned a list each, so whatever this list is about, there are clearly players still at hand who aren’t included in the pages bound between the leather covers. 

The question is who? Because Felicity will bet her most treasured piece of tech that that’s the name in charge of this whole operation… whatever that operation may be. 

“Hey, anything?” 

Felicity jolts at the sound of Oliver’s voice, not having realized that Digg and he had made it back to the Foundry. She spins in her chair to see them both stood by the door, Diggle clearly irritated at something that happened between the two of them whilst they were out patrolling the streets. 

“Nope, the trail’s still as cold as MIT in January,” Felicity huffs in frustration, reaching up to run her hand through her hair. She’s noticed she’s picked up on a few of Oliver’s quirks over the past few weeks, their schedules becoming more entwined than ever. It’s been intense but their bond is shining with such a renewed glow that Felicity can’t be mad at the tired feeling seeping through her bones. She frowns when her comment gains no reaction and elaborates, “That’s very cold, by the way.” 

“We got that,” Oliver nods, before placing his bow down on the table and making his way through the Foundry to the small back room that’s become a sort of changing room for him since Felicity joined their little team. 

“What’s up with him? You know, past the usual brooding tall alpha male thing,” Felicity questions of Digg once Oliver is out of earshot, turning back to look at the tall, well-built man who is stood with his arms crossed and a stern expression on his face. 

“I may have suggested to him that I think it’s time we started back up at what we were doing before Walter disappeared,” Diggle tells her as he settles down to sit tentatively on the edge of the medical table and everything clicks in Felicity’s brain. 

“Ah, I suppose he did not take that well,” She counters with a small wince, and Digg’s mouth twitches with the start of a smile in the corner. 

“That’s one way to put it,” The tall man comments, and Felicity sighs, slumping a little in her seat. She understands where Diggle is coming from, she truly does, but she’s also seen the toll the past weeks have taken on Oliver and she doesn’t want him to feel too pressured. 

“This is a lot on him, Digg, and his family aren’t handling it well,” She reminds their partner gently, keeping her voice light to ensure that Diggle doesn’t feel like Felicity is reprimanding him when she knows his actions are well-intentioned. 

One of the things she’s most appreciated about spending more time down here in the Foundry is the friendship she’s developing with the third party of their little crime-fighting trio. Their bond is almost constantly shimmering, a bright lavender color that makes Felicity smile. She knows how rare it is to have a bond that is born out of pure trust and respect but that’s what she and Diggle are developing and she feels like she has a true friend and confidant in the tall, kind veteran. 

“I know that and I know that he needs to be there for them, but what we were doing before Walter disappeared? It was helping people, helping the city, and it would be a damn shame to lose that in the pain of Walter’s abduction,” Diggle explains to her slowly after a long sigh and Felicity sighs too, biting her lip for a moment. She truly does see Diggle’s point of view but she also knows what a fragile state Oliver is in. 

“You’re right,” Felicity sighs, looking towards the door of the back room with a frown. She can feel him through their bond, knows that he’s stressed and worried and she wraps her hand around their bond, doing the best she can to send reassuring thoughts through the connection. 

“Will you at least try and talk to him about it?” Diggle asks and Felicity sighs, looking back to him with a tense expression. She notes their connection glowing, the lavender bond growing surer every day. It’s apt, considering Felicity trusts Diggle innately. She’s always struggled with trusting others but with Diggle, it comes almost as easily as it does with Oliver, albeit in a very different way. She trusts Oliver with all of her, but mostly her heart. With Diggle, she trusts him with her life. 

“I’ll try, no promises though,” She assures him and he smiles, his hand gently cupping her shoulder. Felicity smiles up at him, looking down at his connections for a moment. That soulmate bond still baffles her, the way in which it clearly still glows, but she doesn’t want to question him about it in case it hurts too much. It’s possible he’s not even aware he has a soulmate if neither of them has the sight, it’s a real rarity for both to occur. 

“You’re a gem,” He smiles at her affectionately with a warm wink before he gathers his things and leaves using the stairs. Felicity sighs and turns back to her computers, frowning as she concentrates on her programs once more. She knows that Diggle is right and that’s a conversation Oliver needs to have with someone he’s willing to open up to. She thinks about how she might go about bringing it up as she cross-references the next name on the list in the notebook, a shiver running down her spine as she reads up about the background of one of the names. A man so corrupted, it makes her feel sick, and she shakes her head, taking a deep breath when the door to the backroom opening makes her jump. 

“Hey,” Oliver sighs, looking calmer as he walks towards her, finishing pulling his t-shirt down over his torso. Felicity blinks for a moment, a little distracted by the sight of his abs. That’s been another adjustment she’s had to make joining the team, spending far more time around Oliver with his shirt off. She knows he was nervous at first considering his scars but Felicity tries to assure him whenever it’s appropriate that she sees them merely as reminders of how strong he is and is grateful that each one brought him closer to coming home. 

“Hi,” She smiles, taking a deep breath and standing from her chair. Oliver’s arms immediately reach out and she steps towards him, running her hands up his forearms to gently cup his elbows. Their bond loops up, urging them closer together, but Felicity just smiles, looking up at him and taking him in. He’s clearly tired, worried about Walter and the impact his disappearance is having on his family and Felicity frowns, rubbing her thumbs soothingly over the exposed skin of his arms. Their bond thrums in satisfaction and Felicity hums, grateful as a contentedness begins to seep through her. “You okay?” 

“Yeah, just tired. I was going to drop off at Big Belly on the way home and pick up some food for Thea and Mom as well. Did you maybe want to come back to the manor with me and see if we can’t coerce them into a movie night?” He asks her softly, a small smile playing at his lips despite his tiredness and Felicity is a little surprised at the suggestion, though incredibly pleased. 

“You want me to come with you to do that?” She questions to confirm, raising an eyebrow. Her stomach flutters at the thought of him wanting her in his most intimate moments with his family… she knows that they’re soulmates but to truly experience the way in which that bond is deepening is something else entirely. 

“Well yeah… Thea adores you and I think having someone else there might help Mom,” Oliver explains with a small smile and Felicity smiles too, grateful to find some levity. They haven’t struggled to do so, in fact, Felicity has been very impressed with Oliver’s ability to seemingly compartmentalize, but it’s rare for it to happen down here. 

“Ah, so I’m just a pawn in your play?” She smirks, raising an eyebrow, and Oliver huffs, sending her an unimpressed look. 

“I didn’t mean it like that,” He frowns, making Felicity chuckles. She runs her hands up his arms before smoothing them over his chest, grinning up teasingly at him as she rises onto her toes. 

“I know, I’m only teasing. As if I’d ever say no to Big Belly. Come on, I’m starving. Though I call taking Thea over your mother, please,” She grins, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before she steps away to grab her coat. Their bond thrums with a burst of light, making her smile as she gathers her things. 

“Done deal,” Oliver chuckles, a pleased smirk on his face as he reaches for her hand and Felicity grins, her heart and their bond glowing as their fingers intertwine. 

It doesn’t take them long to make it through the drive-through and back to the mansion, the two of them walking into the hallway hand in hand. They spot Thea sat on the couch, armed with a tub of ice cream, and share a knowing look. Oliver presses a kiss to her lips before he turns to head up the stairs and Felicity smiles, watching as the light pink, almost the color of pink lemonade, of her bond with Thea begins to thrum.

“Hey you,” She smiles softly as she steps into the living room and it turns into a grin as Thea spins to look at her, her small face lighting up. 

“Felicity!” She exclaims, jumping up from her spot to reach out for her in an obvious request for a hug. 

“Hi, cute pants,” Felicity smiles as she obliges, chuckling as the two of them sway a little in their hug. It’s a little odd to Felicity how quickly Thea has rooted herself in her affections, rather like her brother she supposes. She just trusts them and Thea’s so warm and kind, it’s hard not to feel attached to the teenager. 

“Thank you! You look adorable, as ever,” She smiles and Felicity chuckles, taking the invitation to settle down next to Thea on the couch. They both tug their feet up underneath her and Felicity smiles as she watches Thea spoon a scoop of ice cream into her mouth. 

“How are you holding up?” She questions, unable to resist asking as she notes that nearly all of Thea’s connections are shining just a little duller than usual. She’s still a thrum of light and activity, with all her school friends and family connections, but it’s clear to Felicity that she hasn’t been reaching out and nurturing them as much as she usually does. 

“I’m okay. You forget I’ve done this before, it’s routine at this point,” Thea chuckles, spooning more ice cream into her mouth and Felicity sighs, leveling the younger girl with a look. She knows that might work with Oliver, because he gets too scared of hurting Thea to push it, but Felicity understands her a bit better and knows that what she really wants is someone to make her talk. 

“Thea…” 

“Seriously, I’m okay. I’d be more okay if Mom would come out of her room,” Thea sighs, looking towards the stairs with a small frown. Felicity frowns too, reaching through her bond with Oliver to send him reassuring thoughts as she knows that talking with his mother is difficult at the best of times. 

“She’s been in there a lot, huh?” She asks, smiling sadly at Thea who shrugs, looking down into her ice cream. 

“All day, every day. She did the same thing when Ollie and Dad disappeared on the Gambit,” The teenager comments in what Felicity knows is meant to be a nonchalant tone but she sees straight through it. 

“Well, what snapped her out of it then?” Felicity questions, trying to be proactive in helping the small family. She truly cares for Thea, and by caring for Thea and Oliver, she cares for Moira too, even if the other woman has been cold towards her. 

“Walter. He swanned in with his British accent and was all ‘Moira, get out of bed!’. I’m sure you know how hard it is to refuse when he goes all stern, he’s your boss after all,” Thea answers simply with a small chuckle that grows wistful as she looks back over towards the door as if her step-father will come waltzing in at any moment. 

“He certainly can be very convincing when he wants to be,” Felicity chuckles, remembering how scared she had been that her boss was going to fire her when really, he was merely asking for her help. Little had she known then what a mess they were going to find themselves caught up in. 

“I’m worried about him,” Thea sighs after a beat, looking up at Felicity with wide eyes and a vulnerable expression. Felicity feels her heart sink, her stomach twisting painfully for the poor girl. She cannot imagine how difficult this must be for Thea considering what she went through when Oliver and Robert disappeared, it must feel like the worst groundhog day in existence. 

“I know, but the police are doing all they can to try and find him,” Felicity tries to reassure her, smiling sadly and soothingly at the teenager but Thea barely looks at her, her brow furrowing as she stares out of the large windows that line the Queen living room. 

“I just… what if he wasn’t kidnapped? What if he ran away?” 

Felicity frowns at the question. It seems pretty clear to her that this is a result of Walter looking into the notebook but she reminds herself that Thea knows nothing of all of that and as far as she’s concerned, her step-father really has just disappeared, “Ran away? What do you mean?” 

“Well things have been super whirlwind here lately what with Ollie coming home and now all this violence seeping from the Glades into the city. What if it got too much for him and he ran off with like a stewardess or something?” 

Felicity feels her heart twist painfully as she watches the emotions dance across Thea’s face. She knows that all of Thea’s behavior, as frustrating as it has been for her family to deal with, has really just been because she feels abandoned. With Oliver juggling so much since his return and Moira being… well, Moira, Walter was the only family Thea really had paying attention to her. Felicity can imagine how painful it must be for that to have been ripped away from her and it makes sense that she’s struggling to explain it by assuming Walter too has left her. 

“Thea… I know that I’m new to seeing your family dynamic and I know that things have been really rough for you the past few years, but there is one thing as clear as day for me, and that is how much Walter loves you and your mom,” Felicity explains to the teenager softly, trying to reassure her with a small smile. 

“Really?” Thea asks, raising an eyebrow, clearly curious, and Felicity smiles. 

_ This  _ she can do. She may not be experienced in having people she’s close to and sometimes struggles to communicate with those she cares about, but she understands emotions and connections more than almost everyone. It’s what she’s dedicated her life to studying and understanding. 

“May I?” Felicity asks, smiling softly at Thea as she gestures towards where her connections are. The teenager looks confused for a moment before understanding crosses her face and she frowns. 

“It’s not like I can see it,” Thea comments, and Felicity smiles. She knows that those who don’t have the sight struggle to comprehend what exactly it is, and Felicity knows that she does examine people’s connections daily. However, to intimately study someone’s bonds, like she is planning on doing now with Thea’s, is something incredibly personal and she would never do so at this level without asking. The sight is a gift and she’s learned it isn’t something she should abuse. 

“It’s still an intimate thing,” Felicity explains with a smile and Thea frowns before she smiles a little, nodding her head. 

“Okay, thank you for asking.” 

“Always,” Felicity smiles warmly, her heart glowing with affection for the younger girl as she adjusts in her seat so that she can properly see her connections. The pink lemonade of the bond between the two of them is glowing brightly and it makes Felicity smiles, but she also notes the juniper colored bond that she knows is connected to Oliver and the chocolate colored one she knows is her connection to Moira. 

“What color is it?” Thea asks after a moment and Felicity smiles, easily finding the bond she knows leads to Walter. It makes her smile as she watches the way the connection is still thrumming. She knew that she was right from a cursory glance but looking at the bond close up just confirms it. 

“That’s how I know, Thea. You learn things when you have the sight. There’s the color for one and your bond with Walter is this beautiful coral. There’s such a deep tone to it, it’s clear your bond is very deep, and it symbolizes that your love for one another is very pure. He sees you as a daughter and you see him as a father, that’s clear from this,” Felicity explains quietly with a small smile, looking up to see Thea looking at her curiously. For a moment, the blonde can easily imagine how Thea was a child, all wide-eyed and asking a million questions and her heart aches, seeing the sweet girl Oliver describes in all his stories. 

“But it’s not just the color?” 

Felicity smiles at her question. It’s not often people ask about her ability. To be honest, others have often found it odd and invasive so it’s so nice to have Thea be so curious about it now. 

“No, there’s this kind of aura to connections. It’s hard to explain to those without the sight but I guess the easiest way to describe it is that each connection thrums more intensely depending on a number of factors. For example, ours is glowing pretty brightly right now because we’re talking and about our emotions as well, which will be working to deepen our bond to each other. They also tend to glow when one end of the connection is thinking about the other. They only lay dormant when neither is thinking about the other at all, even subconsciously.” 

Thea frowns for a moment, clearly taking in everything that Felicity’s just told her. She pauses for a few seconds, her breathing heavy as she’s clearly in deep thought, and then she looks at Felicity, nervousness playing in her eyes, “And my bond with Walter, what’s it doing?” 

“It’s bright enough to give me a headache, so it can’t just be you worrying about him. He’s thinking about you too,” Felicity smiles softly, looking down at Thea’s connections and resisting the urge to wince. She’s telling the girl the truth, they really are bright. 

“You really think we’ll find him?” Thea questions, looking every bit the scared teenager she is and Felicity smiles, holding out an arm in offering. She stares for a moment before cuddling into her side and Felicity grins, her stomach whooshing in pride at having made such leaps with Thea in such a small amount of time. 

“I know that everyone involved is putting all of their effort into doing so and hey, I think we all know that when your mother and brother put their minds to something, there is very little anyone can do to stop them,” She chuckles and Thea chuckles too, nodding her head before she lays in against Felicity’s shoulder. 

“You’re right, thanks Felicity,” Thea smiles and Felicity grins, hugging the teenager close to her for a moment. 

They’re startled by the sound of feet in the hallway and Felicity looks up to see Moira and Oliver stood in the doorway. The matriarch is looking more casual than Felicity has ever seen her in pajamas and a robe but she’s clearly emotional as she looks at the two women on the couch. Judging by the emotional look on Oliver’s face too, Felicity guesses they’ve been stood there a little while and she blushes when Moira meets her eye and mouths,  _ “Thank you.”  _

“Right, who wants Big Belly?” Oliver coughs as he blinks back his own tears and Felicity smiles at him as he grabs the bag full of food and carries it over to the couch. 

* * *

A few days later, Felicity and Oliver are laying on the couch in Felicity’s small townhouse. 

Well… Felicity is laying on the couch, Oliver is hovering above her, delighting in the way her skin is flushing as he kisses her deeper and deeper and reveling in the sweet noises he is managing to elicit from her as their embrace grows more intimate. 

They haven’t gone any further than this and it makes Oliver smile to think that he’s genuinely thanking his lucky stars at being able to make out with her when he doesn’t think he’s done so without taking it further since he was about fifteen. Everything is more intense with Felicity, she makes him feel like a firework and a warm fire all at once, both intense and intensely comforting. He cannot see their connection in a tangible way as she can but Oliver swears he can feel it within him. The way his lower stomach drops whenever he thinks about her and the way his heart seems to grow wider to accommodate his ever-growing affection for her are his assurances of that. 

_ “Oliver…”  _ She hisses out as his teeth graze a particular spot on her neck and Oliver grins, filing that knowledge away for later with a satisfied hum. Good lord, she’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. Here, with her in his arms, it’s like all the world’s troubles just melt away. What he would give to stay right here forevermore. 

...and then comes the sound of loud and frantic knocking at Felicity’s front door. 

“What the frack?” Felicity frowns, immediately looking over towards it. Oliver notes the way she glances down towards her chest, clearly using her connections to try and figure out who it is, but that only seems to make her more confused and Oliver sighs disappointedly, removing himself from her and fixing his shirt before he makes his way over to the door. 

What he definitely isn’t expecting, is to see his best friend stood on the other side of the door, looking rather desperate and a little flustered. 

“Oh thank god, you’re harder to find than I usually am after a one night stand,” Tommy huffs as he lets himself into the open plan downstairs area and Oliver frowns, frozen a little at the concept of Tommy just showing up at  _ Felicity’s  _ door of all places. 

“Hi, Tommy,” Felicity chuckles as she sits up on the couch, adjusting her shirt where their activities have ruffled her clothing a little. Tommy frowns, looking between the two of them as understanding dawns on his face to be quickly replaced by remorse. 

“Hey, Felicity. Apologies for barging in like this, I’ve been trying to contact my elusive best friend for over an hour and Thea told me he was here but I realize now exactly what he was caught up in. Sorry for ruining your evening,” Tommy winces, looking over at Oliver doubly as apologetically and Oliver hides a snort, shaking his head. It stumped him for a second but watching as Felicity just chuckles and shakes it off, he immediately excuses his best friend. 

“You’re fine. Would you like a drink?” His soulmate questions with a chuckle, standing from the couch and heading through to the kitchen as she poses the question to Tommy over her shoulder. 

“Just some water please, I’m driving my own car nowadays,” Tommy huffs dramatically as he flops into Felicity’s armchair and Oliver snorts under his breath. Tommy is kind but there’s sometimes when he clearly has no concept of his own privilege. 

“What’s so urgent, Tommy?” He asks as he settles on the side of the couch nearest to Tommy, smiling at him. 

“I… I need some advice,” Tommy sighs, looking at him a little nervously and Oliver frowns, taken aback at the statement. 

“You want advice from me? That’s a new one,” He comments quickly without thinking, his mind running through how all of the people he’s closest to have been giving  _ him  _ advice most recently. 

“Oliver… play nice,” Felicity comments with a small smirk as she hands a glass of water off to Tommy and settles next to Oliver on the couch. She scrunches her nose at him as she does so and Oliver chuckles, rolling his eyes affectionately. 

“It’s about love, actually,” Tommy adds, his voice clearly nervous as he looks between the two of them and bites his lip. 

“You want relationship advice from  _ me?”  _ Oliver asks, once again without thinking, as his eyes blow wide. 

“You seem to be doing pretty well,” Tommy adds, gesturing to Felicity who snorts a little, calming the panic that immediately rises in Oliver as he realizes the possible interpretation of his words. 

“I didn’t mean… I meant about you and Laurel?” Oliver asks, his head swiveling back at forth between Felicity and Tommy. He narrows his eyes at his soulmate as she clearly tries to contain her laughter and he sighs, smiling a little to himself as he feels a calm settle over him. He’s growing to learn that’s Felicity sending him support through their bond and it warms him from the inside-out each time. 

“Is that weird for you? I’m sorry, I figured since you and Felicity are so…” Tommy frowns, clearly nervous again and Oliver shakes his head, feeling bad for having worried his friend. He’s grateful and honestly humbled that Tommy has chosen to come to him for advice, it just seems odd considering the way he’s been with discussing his relationship with Laurel around Oliver in the past. 

“It’s not weird, Tommy, you’re fine. It’s just that you’ve avoided bringing it up so much, even actively gone out of your way to steer the conversation away from it. I thought  _ you  _ found it weird,” He explains and Tommy sighs, taking a long drink of his water before he slumps back in the chair. 

“It’s nothing to do with you, it’s… it’s Laurel. I don’t know what to think anymore,” He shakes his head, clearly conflicted and Oliver frowns, concern flooding through him as he sees how clearly troubled his best friend is. 

“What happened?” 

“I just…. I suggested we take some steps to move forward with us, you know? I thought that we were in a good place so I suggested that maybe I could put some of my stuff in her dresser and she flipped out at me. I just don’t get it, she was always so pushy to move forward like that with you.” 

Tommy shrugs as he finishes talking, a deep frown on his face that Oliver can feel is mirrored on his own. 

“Well, there’s your first issue.” 

Both men jump at the sound of Felicity’s voice and Oliver turns to look at her in surprise, a smile creeping onto his face as he spots her embarrassment. He knows from that look alone she hadn’t meant to speak her thoughts aloud and she stares at Tommy with wide eyes now. 

“What do you mean?” The other man asks, a pensive frown on his face, and Felicity blushes, shaking her head. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“No, please, tell me,” Tommy insists despite her diminishing and Oliver smiles softly at her, reaching out to grasp her hand. He knows she struggles around new people and thinks herself inexperienced in social situations so he hopes it gives her some strength. It makes him smile to feel her squeeze back in return at the very least. 

“Okay, well… I know that it’s weird for you because you spent so much time around Laurel when she was in a relationship with Oliver, but you can’t look at it like that. If there’s one thing I know given my ability, it’s that every single relationship is different and special in its own way. You can’t compare Laurel’s behavior now to how it was when she was dating Oliver because it’s a completely different scenario with so many different factors,” Felicity explains, slowly shrugging her shoulders at the end of it as if it’s the simplest thing in the world. It makes Oliver smile. For someone so nervous about their ability to connect with people, she does a remarkable job at it. First with Thea earlier in the week and now with Tommy… she’s far better at it than she thinks she is, and it makes Oliver’s heart glow to see his family fall for her just as quickly as he has. 

“I… that makes a lot of sense, actually,” Tommy counters with a frown and Oliver chuckles. 

“She’s pretty remarkable,” He smirks proudly, unable to resist pressing a kiss to the top of Felicity’s head with a grin. She blushes but leans into him a little, poking him gently in the side in admonishment. 

“You guys are nauseating, but it’s very cute,” Tommy chuckles a little and Oliver does too as the blush on Felicity’s cheeks only deepens prettily. “So what do you suggest I do with Laurel?” 

“Let things happen at their own pace. You’ve both been through a lot of adjustments this year. Oliver coming home, your issues with your father, Laurel’s work… it’s a lot on top of a new relationship. You need to communicate though and make sure that she knows where you’re at before you suggest big steps. Then you’ll be in a better position to make those decisions together moving forward,” Felicity explains after a beat as she collected her thoughts and Oliver watches as Tommy frowns, clearly processing the very logical and sound advice. 

“And if we’re not on the same page?” He asks after a moment, looking up at Felicity with a nervous expression and Felicity smiles sadly, shrugging her shoulders. 

“Then that’s something you’ll have to deal with,” She tells him softly and Tommy takes a deep breath, nodding his head pensively. 

“But you’ll always have us, buddy,” Oliver adds with a small smile for his best friend, rubbing his thumb over the back of Felicity’s hand in gratitude. She seems to always know the right thing to say… she truly is remarkable. 

“Thanks guys, I needed to hear that,” Tommy nods, taking another deep breath, and both Oliver and Felicity smile, nodding their heads. 

“Always,” Oliver shakes his head, knowing that he’ll never say no to his best friend. 

“Hey, if you don’t want to drive, I just changed the sheets in my spare room,” Felicity comments after a moment, looking at Oliver for a moment before she gestures towards the stairs that lead up to the small landing. Oliver frowns for a moment, knowing that the spare room is where he’s been sleeping when he stays the night but he glances over at Tommy and knows that he can take the couch for tonight… his best friend needs to collapse right now. 

“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to intrude,” Tommy frowns, looking between the two of them nervously. His eyes linger on Oliver, clearly asking if he’s okay with it and Oliver smiles, nodding his head. 

“Of course, Tommy.” 

“I’ll grab you a towel and you can shower. Oliver has a few things here that I’m sure he wouldn’t mind sharing,” Felicity smiles softly as she stands from the couch, and Oliver nods, moving with her. 

“Of course, I’ll grab some for me before you settle down,” He explains with a warm smile to his best friend, whose eyes blow wide at his words. 

“Oh wait, am I taking a bed from you? I just assumed…” He trails off, looking between Oliver and Felicity with a frown, and Oliver chuckles, shaking his head. 

“It’s fine, buddy. A couch is far more comfortable than the island ground.” 

“Ollie…” 

“We’ll talk about where we’re sleeping once you settle, Tommy. Don’t worry,” Felicity pipes up, a small blush covering her cheeks as she does so and Oliver frowns curiously but doesn’t push it. His stomach flutters at the thought of what she might be suggesting but tucks it away, remembering his promise to himself to move solely at her pace. 

“Thanks, guys, you’re both the best,” Tommy grins, looking between them with a grin and they both bat him off, moving to help him get set up. 

Within a few minutes, Tommy is in the shower and Oliver is back alone with Felicity in the living room. He snags her by the waist as she finishes putting the dishes he washed earlier away and she squeals, laughing as she turns in his arms. 

“You are the most wonderful woman on the face of the planet. Thank you,” Oliver grins, pressing a quick kiss to her lips in gratitude. He’s truly amazed by her, how quickly she has settled into almost every aspect of his life. It makes him want to share everything with her, to show her every part of himself, but he also doesn’t want to overwhelm her. He knows how dark some of his stories are. 

“He’s very easy to love. You have good taste in friends,” She chuckles, smoothing down the fabric of his t-shirt, and Oliver chuckles. 

“I’m glad you approve.” 

“I will say I think he deserves a darn sight better than Laurel but the heart wants what the heart wants,” Felicity shrugs as she wriggles out of his arms, turning to fuss around the kitchen more. Oliver moves to help her, frowning a little as he considers her words. 

“Yeah, I think those two will play how they play out. I couldn’t call it,” He shrugs, folding the towel she passes him and looping it through the handle of her oven. 

“Good thing it’s not our place to then,” Felicity smirks at him and Oliver chuckles, nodding his head. 

“Exactly,” He grins, grateful to have a partner who understands him in every way. She shares not only his beliefs, but his basic morals and Oliver didn’t realize just how important that was until he met Felicity. 

They potter around a bit more, straightening out the mess they’ve made throughout the evening before Felicity turns to look at him, a blush already making its way across her neck and cheeks. 

“So… how do you feel about sharing my room tonight? I don’t think I’m ready for more than that but I am very amenable to sleeping by your side,” She grins, stepping up closer to him and running her hands up his chest. She stares up at him through thick eyelashes and Oliver grins, his heart hammering very quickly as he truly considers what this means. 

“I think it sounds like the most glorious idea you have ever had,” He replies quicker than he possibly ever has, his mind already dreaming about how glorious it will feel to hold her in his arms all night long. He’s thought about it before but has always shunned it away, reminding himself to move at Felicity’s pace, but now that the opportunity’s here, his mind is running wild. 

He smiles warmly at her, stepping back to over her his hand, and Felicity grins, sliding her fingers into his own before she leads him up the stairs and into his bedroom. 

And the next morning, Oliver wakes having slept the deepest and most comfortably he has since the Gambit went down. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A project from an unexpected source occupies Felicity and Oliver grapples with a week in the Foundry without his soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof... long time, no see on this one. I can only apologise, this year has been... well rather hellish to be honest, but here we are! I hope this 10k makes up for the lack of posting from me recently. Plus, we deal with actual (DUN, DUN, DUN)... plot! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! <3

Felicity wakes with a start. 

There’s something off about her room. She’s never slept particularly well, but her ability, in general, has made her hypersensitive to her surroundings. She recalls that Lucinda explained to her once that there was more and more research indicating that those with the sight experience symptoms much like those of neurodivergent people, the hypersensitivity to light experienced by both groups being one of the first things to spark the research. For Felicity, the light of others’ connections can be blinding, but she’s also extremely sensitive to noise and as she awakens, she’s extremely aware of the sound of breathing next to her. She sits up a little to grab her glasses, squinting as she allows her eyes to adjust to the morning light slipping in around the drapes. 

Her movement seems to stir Oliver as well and Felicity cannot help but smile as he wakes slowly, a small smile crossing his face as he wriggles and cracks open an eye. Her own gaze slips down to the connection between them, thrumming with an intensity she’s never seen before. Every time she thinks it can’t get brighter, they grow ever so slightly closer and it surprises her all over again. 

“Good morning,” She smiles softly at him, her stomach fluttering nervously as she does so. There’s something so intensely intimate about this moment, something she was able to shrug off in the darkness of last night. Here, in the light of day, she’s conscious of how close they are and how much of a milestone this has been in their relationship. 

“Good… did I just wake up?” Oliver frowns, clearly baffled as he pushes himself up onto his elbows and his question makes Felicity frown too. 

“I mean I think we’re awake,” She teases with a smile and Oliver blinks at her blankly for a moment before he shakes his head, rubbing a hand over his face. Felicity’s eyes flicker down to the way his abs flex with the change of weight and she blinks, shaking her head to erase the thoughts that spark in her mind. 

_ Thank Google telepathy isn’t a part of soulmate bonds.  _

“No, I mean… I’ve woken up with a start pretty much every day since I was shipwrecked on the island,” Oliver frowns, sitting up properly and Felicity freezes as she digests that information. 

“Oh,” She pauses, letting the gravity of his statement sink in. For this to have been the first night he’s slept through peacefully in over five years is huge. She knows that there have been studies detailing how soulmates often have calming effects on each other, how trauma and pain can lessen when in the presence of the one you’re meant to be with, but she never paid it much attention until now. She reminds herself to do some more research into it later today and to possibly call Lucinda. 

“Must say something about your presence,” Oliver smiles, covering up the intensity with light teasing, and Felicity chuckles, shaking her head as she lets the lighter moment pass over her. She takes a deep breath, leaning back into Oliver’s warmth and he frowns, a gentle hand rubbing soft circles over her back. “Are you okay? Too much?” 

“No, I think it’s just the perfect amount,” She assures him truthfully with a coy smile, leaning her chin on his chest as she looks up at him and Oliver smiles. 

“Good,” He grins back, his eyes shining with a light she’s realizing is reserved for very specific situations. She revels in it as he leans in and gently presses a kiss against her lips, both of them moaning lightly as it grows into something deeper. 

“Ugh, we need to get up,” Felicity sighs regrettably as they pull away, glancing over to where her alarm clock is blinking at her with the time. She needs to get in the shower if she’s going to get to the office on time, knowing that sleeping with the boss’ son really isn’t a good enough excuse for tardiness. 

“Hmm, I say no,” Oliver hums, tightening his arms around her, and Felicity laughs. This soft version of him, the one that only comes out when they’re alone, it’s an adjustment for sure but one that she adores. She wishes his biggest opposers, the Lances and others in the city who still view him as the party boy he once was, could see this gentle side of him but at the same time, she’s grateful for a part of him that’s only for her. 

“I have to go to work,” She reminds him with a chuckle but he just shakes his head, slipping his eyes closed once more as he nuzzles his nose against her neck. 

“My name’s on the building, I say no,” He murmurs into her skin, and Felicity chuckles, pressing a kiss to his heart through the fabric of his t-shirt with a warm smile. 

“Unfortunately it doesn’t quite work like that, you’re not the CEO,” She tells him softly and Oliver sighs, opening his eyes. 

“No one is at the moment,” He looks at her with tortured eyes, and Felicity sighs, her hand rubbing soothingly over his chest. She watches the way their bond glows, a sunset pink the most dominant color and Felicity sends soothing thoughts through the connection as she picks up on the emotional vulnerability they’re expressing right now. 

“Hmm, how’s your mom?” Felicity questions, raising an eyebrow and Oliver sighs, shrugging his shoulders. She notes the way his grip on her tightens ever so slightly as if he’s clinging to the tangible as he tries to process everything that’s happening right now. 

“Better? I don’t know. She seems fine one minute and then she locks herself in her room the next,” He explains and Felicity hums, softly sighing. She feels awful for the matriarch. They had a rocky start but she can’t imagine the pain she must be going through right now, especially considering what she also went through with Robert and Oliver. 

“Grieving’s a difficult process,” She reminds him softly and Oliver sighs, his brow furrowing in a way that makes Felicity’s stomach swoop delightfully. She knows she really shouldn’t describe a fully grown man like Oliver as adorable, but she’ll be damned if that isn't the perfect way to describe how he looks right now. 

“We don’t know that he’s dead.” 

“And I sincerely hope he’s not, but that almost makes it worse. She’s stuck in a limbo, the worst Schrodinger’s Cat scenario ever,” She elaborates, pressing a few more kisses to his chest and Oliver hums, nodding his head as he pulls her impossibly closer. There’s something so intimate about this moment and Felicity revels in the feeling and the way their bond glows with their ever-deepening connection. 

“You’re right, she deserves a break. Thea just doesn’t quite understand that,” Oliver sighs and Felicity nods, clearly having gotten to the root of what’s actually bothering her soulmate. She wishes she could make it all stop and let  _ him  _ have a break, he’s juggling so much and she cannot believe the way in which some of the others in his life seem to be angry at him for how he’s coping with it all. 

She thinks he’s doing remarkably well at holding it together given the circumstances. 

“I didn’t get through to her as much as we thought?” 

“Oh no, you perfectly calmed her fears about Walter, but her mind is now running wild about Mom. In between begging her for a new car for her birthday next week of course,” Oliver chuckles, that affectionate tone slipping into his voice. It’s a regular occurrence when he’s talking about his baby sister and it makes Felicity’s heart glow to see how deeply Oliver cares about her. 

“Eighteen, a fully grown adult,” Felicity teases, raising an eyebrow and laughing when the expected pout crosses Oliver’s face. 

“Shush you, she’s still twelve in my head,” He glares, poking Felicity in the side and she laughs, shaking her head. 

“I’m sure she really appreciates that,” She chuckles and Oliver pokes her again, rolling over so that she’s laying on top of him. 

“Hush,” He pouts and Felicity laughs. She looks at him, her blue eyes meeting his and both of their expressions softening simultaneously. Felicity smiles gently, totally amazed at how natural this feels. She’s never been this close with anyone, not since Cooper, and even then it had felt odd and like what she was expected to do. With Oliver, everything is different in the best way possible. 

Her alarm clock flashes and she groans, looking over at the time with a wince, “Alright, I really gotta move, are you alright to lock up after Tommy’s up?” 

“Of course, I’ll drop your keys at your desk later,” He smiles up at her, tilting his head up in a silent request for a kiss which Felicity happily obliges. 

“You’re the best,” She grins, pressing a few more rushed kisses to his lips before she rushes for the bathroom, already planning out the steps in her morning routine she’s going to need to skip out on seeing as she’s running so late. 

... _ totally worth it.  _

* * *

“Felicity?” 

The blonde’s head snaps up from her desk, her eyes widening as she realizes just who it is standing in the door of her office. It’s been a long day for her. She was a few minutes late this morning and her supervisor, who is always on her ass because he’s insecure about the fact that Felicity is definitely smarter than him, hasn’t let her hear the end of it all day. Then, Jason, up in R&D downloaded actual porn onto his office computer and spread a virus across the entire floor’s network, so she’s been dealing with that almost all day. 

To see Moira Queen of all people stood in the doorway of her tiny little office in the back corner of the second floor really is the cherry on the top of an already extremely stressful day. 

And it had started off so beautifully. 

“Mrs. Queen! How can I help you?” She finds herself asking, resisting the urge to jump up from her seat. She knows that her soulmate’s mother isn’t royalty or anything, but the woman carries herself with such a sophisticated air that it sets all of Felicity’s nerves off. 

Her eyes drop down briefly to Moira’s connections, feeling her heart pound at the sight of the jet black ribbon Felicity knows must have been connected to Robert. She doubts they were a soulmate pairing but it still makes Felicity incredibly sad to see severed connections, it reminds her of the pain she’s been through and she hates the thought of anyone else experiencing that pain. 

“Please, call me Moira,” The older woman tells her with a soft smile that gives Felicity pause. It’s not that it seems ungenuine, but it’s so different from the reception she’s used to from Oliver’s mother that it throws her off a little. Sure, she was warm to her the other day at the mansion but that was down to Thea and Oliver. Felicity always expected if she ever ran into the fierce woman alone in public, her usual coldness is what she’ll be met with. 

“Um okay, Moira. Wow, sorry, that sounds a little odd. Not that your name is odd, it’s just that I never expected to be on first name terms with the acting CEO of the company I work for. Not that you’re not good bosses… I’m going to stop talking now.” 

Felicity cringes, cursing her inability to keep her mouth shut when she’s in awkward situations. She really should look into getting her mouth surgically sealed, it would truly help her. 

“That would be my preference,” Moira comments and it makes Felicity freeze. It’s not malicious or unkind. In fact, Moira’s eyes are shining with a sort of affection. What gives the younger blonde pause is how much like Oliver she sounds in her response. She can totally picture her soulmate responding in the exact same way, it’s a little eerie. 

“Anywho, what brings you all the way down to my office?” Felicity smiles awkwardly. 

“Walter trusted you, Oliver clearly trusts you. I need someone I can trust,” The blonde matriarch starts and Felicity stops in her chair. Given Moira’s connection to the list and what has occurred over the past few weeks, trepidation is her first reaction to her soulmate’s mother’s words. 

“I um… okay? In regards to…? I’m happy to help, Mrs..  _ Moira _ , but the last time I went outside of my job parameters, someone went missing,” Felicity reminds her gently with a wince. She feels bad for assuming the worst but Felicity is already tied up in so much of the drama surrounding the Queen family… it would be a conflict of interest for her to get involved in whatever it is  _ Moira  _ is now planning on top of it all. 

“It’s about that, actually. The security here is obviously not up to par. Walter was taken from this very building. We need an upgrade on all security and I want you to lead the project,” Moira explains plainly and Felicity frowns, the tension leaving her body as she realizes that this is actually a work project. 

A work project that could be extremely beneficial in helping her actually move out of this position down in the IT department...

“I… you do?” 

“Can you do it?” Moira asks in response to Felicity’s surprise, raising one perfectly styled eyebrow in question. Her questioning makes Felicity scoff, shaking her head with a slight chuckle. 

“Can I do it? Of course, I can do it. I’ve been building computers since I was seven years old,” She boosts with a nod, trying not to laugh at the implication that she couldn’t vastly improve the security system QC has in place. Felicity has thought it shoddy since she first started working at the company but given her level, it hasn’t been her place to comment on it or suggest an improvement. 

Apparently, until now. 

“Graduated summa cum laude from MIT with a master’s degree at just nineteen,” Moira counters with a small impressed nod and what Felicity thinks might just be the hint of a smile playing at her lips. It once again reminds her implicitly of Oliver and how sometimes, his emotions slip through the mask he puts up for the rest of the world. It warms her to the matriarch a little and Felicity smiles too, raising an eyebrow. 

“You’ve done your research,” She comments, impressed, and Moira hums. 

“I like to know who it is my family are surrounding themselves with,” The elegant woman explains and Felicity cannot help herself in her response, her mind too curious for her own good. 

“And?” 

“And?” 

“Well surely there’s some sort of threshold people have to meet to deem them worthy of the Queen presence,” She finds herself commenting, her voice light and joking, though Moira’s reaction makes it clear that she doesn’t find it quite as funny as Felicity does. 

“Miss Smoak, I protect my family, there are many out there who would do them harm,” Moira explains with a haughtier tone and expression, the warmth leaving her voice. Felicity winces as she realizes how the older woman has read her comment and she shakes her head, jumping to correct herself. 

“I understand that, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to appear rude. It’s just… I’m sure you can understand how some people read your scrutiny as a judgment of their background,” She hastens to explain herself, watching as Moira’s offense clearly lessens as the frown on her face smooths. She nods, correcting her posture where she’s stood still just inside Felicity’s office. 

“I do understand that, and I admit in the past I’ve been more judgemental on that front than I perhaps should have been,” Moira admits and Felicity smiles, feeling the tension and stress leave her own posture as she relaxes in her chair. 

“Well then I’m glad you have seen the light in regard to that,” Felicity nods and she feels a slight pride rise in her chest as she notes the smile that Moira sends her. 

“So you’ll take charge of the security reboot?” The matriarch asks her after a moment of silence and Felicity nods, a smile spreading over her face. 

“It would be an honor,” She assures Moira, who nods, fixing her jacket where it slipped ever so slightly off the correct alignment on her shoulders. 

“Thank you, I’ll send you an email setting up a meeting with your new team,” The older blonde tells her, and Felicity smiles, nodding her head. 

“Of course.” 

The women share a nod, blue eyes meeting before the older turns and floats elegantly out of the small office. Felicity watches in astonishment, aware that what has just occurred is a huge step towards her and Oliver’s future. She shakes her head, taking a deep breath, and glances down at her own connections, totally baffled as she watches the ribbon tied to Moira turn a beautiful shade of violet. 

_ Respect… interesting.  _

* * *

It’s odd for Oliver to visit Queen Consolidated nowadays. 

When he was a kid, visiting the company was exciting. His dad would always give him a soda from the mini-fridge in his office and Oliver delighted in getting to sit and watch his father work all day. There was something so exciting to him as a kid about seeing his dad in his element, like watching a king command his kingdom. 

Then as he grew into his adolescence, the company represented his parents’ oppressive expectations. Visiting was a chore, something he detested doing because it was always accompanied by his father’s judgemental and disappointed looks. It was something he  _ had  _ to do and he hated doing what was expected of him. 

Now, however, the biggest association he has with QC is Felicity. Meeting her in her office, watching the way she had reacted, the immediate confusion and intrigue that sparked within him following that. It reminds him of visiting her, watching the small frown on her face as she concentrates on her work and the bright smile that spreads across her face when she spots him. Just the thought of her beautiful face sparks that warm feeling within him and he smiles, knowing that she’ll be able to feel that warmth through their bond. 

_ A soulmate.  _

It’s baffling to him how easily this has all come to him. Considering his time on the island and how determined he was to remain isolated, to complete his father’s dying wish and most likely die trying, it’s crazy how one babbling blonde with a kind smile has turned all of that on its head. Without Felicity, he doubts he would be so close with Diggle now, or even invested the time he has in rebuilding his relationship with his mother and Thea. He knows if he met himself from six months ago, his past self would be furious at how he has strayed so far from the original plan, but Oliver cannot find it in himself to care that much. 

Felicity really is worth it all. 

“No, I’m not coming to the Foundry tonight, I’ve got to stay at work late.” 

Oliver frowns as he opens the door to her office, hearing her talking on the phone. Given the fact she’s mentioning the Foundry, there’s only one person she can be talking to and he winces as he realizes that following their argument, the first thing Diggle has done is called Felicity. 

The two of them are at odds due to the next name on Oliver’s list being Diggle’s ex-commanding officer from his time serving. Oliver feels like he needs to trust the list and his father’s words, it’s what he knows. Diggle is urging him to try and use a little more nuance to approach the situation and, whilst Oliver sees his point, he cannot shake the feeling that he needs to place his trust in his father. 

“Just remember that it was you who urged him back into this, Diggle. You were the one begging me to get him back in the Hood just last week. You know how that works.” 

Oliver’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise at Felicity’s words. It’s odd, after being on his own so long, having to put his trust solely in himself, it’s an adjustment to have someone else in your corner. Of course, Felicity has no qualms calling him out when she feels like he’s crossing a line and she does so on a regular basis, but she’s always looking out for him. 

It’s nice. 

Her eyes shoot up from where she was staring at her laptop, a small smile spreading over her face as she notices him. She waves him in, urging him to shut the door behind him and Oliver glances back to see that a few of the women sat in the cubicles out on the main part of the floor are craning their heads to try and get a glimpse of him. He frowns and steps forward out of the view through the windows of Felicity’s office door as she dismisses Diggle and hangs up the phone. 

“You made Diggle growly,” She greets as she turns to face him and Oliver cannot help the snort that leaves him in response to her bluntness. 

“We had a disagreement, yes,” He counters, dropping the keys he used to lock up her townhouse this morning onto her desk. She glances down at them before she reaches for them and loops them onto her keys before she looks back at him with a small smile. 

“I’m just letting you know now, I’m not on anyone’s side. I think you need to use a little more nuance when approaching that list but I also think Diggle needs to trust you more too,” She explains to him with a gentle tome and Oliver takes a deep breath before he nods, swallowing thickly. 

“I… I know you’re right and I know he’s right too. My father though, he told me how important that list is, and I know we’ve found out more about it since, but I just feel like I need to be able to trust him and the list,” He elaborates, the words coming far easier than they did with Diggle. He supposes it’s because he knows Felicity rarely judges him and he can see that now in the way she doesn’t jump to question him as their other partner did. She regards him for a moment, her expression softening as she nods and he can tell as she collects her thoughts before she speaks. 

He notes briefly that he finds it slightly hilarious how terrible she is at tempering her brain to mouth filter when discussing her own emotions seeing how incredible she is with it when it comes to her own. 

“I know that and I totally understand what you’re saying. I just don’t think we can put our trust in that list explicitly until we know exactly what it is and why your mother also has a copy,” She tells him and Oliver sighs, letting her logical thoughts swim over him. It’s odd, he often swears he can almost see the calming effect she has on him, but of course, she’s the one who can truly see their connection. 

“You’re right, as always.” 

“Just tread carefully with Digg, okay? We don’t want to lose his favor,” She reminds him cautiously and even though it’s a warning, it makes Oliver smile. 

“We?” 

“We’re a team, you and me,” Felicity nods, and Oliver cannot help the grin that spreads over his face. It’s been just him for so long and whilst learning to share his responsibilities has clearly been an adjustment, he can’t deny how much he enjoys the feeling of always having someone to lean on after so long. 

“Always,” He smiles, bending over her desk to press a kiss to her lips. She’s clearly surprised but hums into the contact, clearly contented in a way that makes Oliver’s lower stomach glow. “You’re not coming by tonight?” 

“No, I’m going to need to stay late here. Your mother came down earlier, she wants me to lead the project on redesigning the entire building’s security system,” Felicity explains, looking at him a little nervously but Oliver grins, very happy both for Felicity and for the fact that his mother is clearly warming to her. 

“That’s amazing,” He exclaims and Felicity’s expression contorts into one of surprise. 

“You’re not mad?” 

“Honey, what you’re helping me with, that’s not important. You’re important and your career is important. I know you’ll do an incredible job with this,” He tells her softly, reaching out to gently brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She beams at his words, truly lighting up in a fashion that makes butterflies dance in Oliver’s stomach like they haven’t since he was a pre-teen. 

“Thank you,” She whispers softly, her hand reaching up to cover his on her cheek, holding it there for a long moment. 

“Call me when you do get home?” He asks after a silence, smiling down at her softly and she nods, turning back to her computer. 

“I will do, stay safe.” 

“Always,” He winks, bending to kiss her once more before he leaves, smiling back at her before he slips the door closed, feeling better. 

That’s the way it always is with Felicity though. 

* * *

The next day, Felicity is still at her desk as the evening becomes definitively night. The building has gone from bustling to quiet to silent around her and the only light is the slightly obnoxious fluorescent ones that hang above her desk. Once upon a time, she adored working at this time. It being quieter and there being fewer people around means that she’s not affected by her ability at all and her brain can work at full capacity. Since completing her modifications on her glasses and contacts, that’s becoming less and less of an issue for her. 

She has a slight headache but is powering through, knowing that the sooner she gets through the security work here at the company, the sooner she’ll be able to get back to the Foundry. It’s weird how much she is already missing the dingy old factory, it started to feel like home so quickly and even though she’s been gone for less than a week, she’s already itching to get back to it. 

She’s considering calling it a night and heading home to order takeout when her phone buzzes on her desk, lighting up with Oliver’s image. She smiles and notices that their connection immediately starts to glow, it only intensifying as she picks it up. 

“Why hello there, handsome.”

“God, I needed to hear your voice,” Oliver immediately groans and Felicity’s smile falters, her heart aching. He’s so tired, she can see it in his face whenever she sees him. She’s doing what she can to help ease the ache of all he’s having to juggle at the moment but there is only so much she can do. She wishes she could take it all away but she’s also so proud of how well he  _ is  _ coping considering the circumstances. 

“You and Diggle still fighting?” She questions with a wince. Last she heard, Oliver was planning to head to Blackhawk headquarters to try and get to the bottom of Gaynor’s inclusion on the list but it seems that wasn’t the revelation he hoped it would be. 

“He still won’t even entertain the possibility that Gaynor is on the list for a reason,” Oliver explains and Felicity sighs. She doesn’t want to overestimate her own abilities, but she’s also pretty sure this whole debacle would be over a lot sooner had she not been so tied up at work. Both Oliver and Diggle need someone to make them see the other’s side. 

“I’m sorry you guys are still at odds. Have you made any progress?” She settles for asking instead, the guilt whirling around in her stomach. She hears Oliver take a deep breath and smiles when their bond glows just a little more, indicating that he’s placing his trust in her just that little bit more. 

“I’ve got a memory stick from the security company headquarters but it’s pretty heavily encrypted, do you have the time to look at it? Don’t worry if not, I can try and get into it myself.” 

Felicity cannot help the laugh that bubbles out of her at her soulmate’s words. She appreciates the sentiment, she truly does, but there’s something so hilariously adorable about Oliver thinking he would be able to reverse an encryption done by a security company. 

“Oliver, honey, you’re so cute when you think you can nerd. Drop it in later, I’ll get into it one way or another,” She assures him and she can practically  _ hear  _ the befuddled frown on his face as he answers. 

“You’re sure?” 

“Definitely, I’m getting through this security thing pretty quickly. The issues with it were pretty glaring, to be honest.”

“Well, I’m glad it wasn’t too horrendous of a… Speedy! Knocking exists for a reason!” 

Felicity laughs again under her breath at the indignant tone in Oliver’s voice. He’s so serious most of the time and there are few people his walls come down around but Thea is one of those people. Having grown up not only as an only child but also mostly alone, there’s something so endearing about the easy rapport Oliver and Thea have with each other. The teasing and indignation that accompanies almost all of their interactions are laced with such affection and love that it warms Felicity’s heart. 

“I don’t care. Listen, this is big. I need to talk to you,” Thea comments, clearly unaware that the line is still connected and Felicity frowns, wondering if she should hang up and let Oliver call her back. 

“Thea, for the last time, I am not telling you if she’s bought you a car for your birthday,” Oliver snorts and Felicity smiles too. Her soulmate’s been begrudging his baby sister's constant questioning about her birthday present. Apparently, Oliver’s eighteenth birthday present was a car and Thea is expecting retribution for her own eighteenth. Oliver is nervous about this considering Thea’s driving abilities but apparently, the convertible is all paid for and ready to arrive at the Queen mansion tomorrow. 

“Not that! Remember last week when I asked you if you thought Mom was acting weird?” Thea dismisses his teasing tone, clearly worked up about something and Felicity goes to end the phone call, feeling bad for intruding on what is clearly a private moment. She feels a tug on their bond, however, and she frowns. Oliver cannot physically touch their connection, seeing as he cannot see it, but he’s worked out that if he thinks of her strongly enough, it will have the same effect as Felicity tugging on the bond her end does. It’s an odd sensation for Felicity but she gets the message and sits back in her chair to listen. 

“Yeah.” 

“Well, I found out why. She's hooking up with Tommy's dad.” 

Felicity has to resist the urge to choke as she straightens in her seat almost immediately. It seems like a total out of left field claim from Thea and it’s clear that Oliver thinks so too from the scoff he emits before he states, “That's insane.”

“I just saw them together. It's happening all over again,” Thea huffs and Felicity frowns at that as she simultaneously feels Oliver’s confusion through their bond. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“A couple of months before you and dad left on the Gambit, mom and dad were arguing a lot,” Thea explains and Felicity hears rustling and assumes the teenager is sitting down. 

“About what?” Oliver asks and Felicity feels something in the pit of her stomach stir uncomfortably. Learning that your parents are not the heroes you think them to be when you are young is one of the hardest lessons in life. It’s something Felicity discovered a lot earlier than most, with her father leaving and her mother… well, being her mother. It was extremely difficult for her to come to terms with the loss of her father and her mother’s ensuing hardships so she feels deeply for Oliver and Thea at the fact they’re having to grapple with this. 

“I don't know. But she was having a lot of these... lunch meetings with Mr. Merlyn. And now Walter's gone, too, and mom and Mr. Merlyn are back at it. It's gross.” 

“Mom never would have cheated on dad. She's not cheating on Walter,” Oliver immediately states calmly and Felicity winces. It’s not that she particularly agrees with either of the Queen siblings, but she’s well aware that Oliver’s blind dismissal of her suggestion will not go down well with Thea. 

“You don't want to believe it because you have this perfect image of mom in your head. That's not who she is, Ollie. She's a liar and a cheater. And you really don't know her at all.” 

“Thea, I promise you that is not what’s happening. I don’t know what’s going on with Mom, but I  _ know  _ that’s not it.” 

“Ugh! No one ever believes me!” 

Felicity cringes as the situation escalates in exactly the way she expected it would. She hears the door slam as Thea flees and takes a deep breath, knowing how Oliver’s head must be spinning. 

“Oh my…” 

“You okay?” She chances, a slight grimace evident in her voice and Oliver sighs. She can picture the way he’s slumping in his chair, his hand rising to gently pinch the bridge of his nose as he takes in the newest addition to their cacophony of issues. 

“You heard that?” Oliver questions, though his tone is not at all accusatory. There’s a quiet resignation to it that’s slightly heartbreaking to hear. 

“Every word,” She sighs gently, sending support and kindness through the bond. She prays that Oliver can feel that she’s here for him, wherever he wants to go from here. 

“Do you think she’s right?” 

Felicity frowns. She’s not sure what she was expecting, but Oliver asking  _ her  _ opinion on the matter certainly wasn’t it. It makes her heart glow for a moment as she considers how far they’ve come in just a few months. 

“I’m not sure her analysis is totally right, but I think Thea picks up on a lot more than you all give her credit for,” Felicity comments slowly and she can once again picture Oliver’s confused frown in the ensuing pause. 

“What do you mean?” He finally asks and Felicity takes a deep breath, knowing that her next words are controversial. 

“The lists. It’s possible Malcolm has something to do with all of this,” She elaborates with a slight wince that grows when she hears Oliver’s sharp intake of breath. 

“You think that’s what it is?” He counters sharply and Felicity swallows, nodding her head before she remembers that he cannot see her. 

“Walter goes missing, suddenly your mother is spending more time with Malcolm, she wants to up the security at the company? Something’s definitely up.” 

As she speaks it aloud, Felicity’s more sure of the sneaking suspicion in the back of her mind. It’s not that she wants to think the worst of Moira, but this all seems to be a bit too much of a coincidence. It at the very least warrants deeper investigation. 

“Do you think I should talk to her about it?” Oliver asks and Felicity cringes, shaking her head instantly. If she knows anything about Moira Queen, it’s that she’s a defensive woman, and Oliver going to her to accuse her of an affair will only put her guards up. If they want to get to the bottom of what’s going on, Felicity knows it’s best if Moira isn’t aware of Thea’s suspicions. 

“I think you should maybe hold off. I’ll do some investigating. Malcolm will be there tomorrow, right?” She questions with a small frown, thinking of Thea’s birthday party. There’s going to be a lot of tension in that room, for sure. 

“He should be. Mom generally invites all her rich friends to these sorts of things,” Oliver scoffs and Felicity smiles. Oliver sometimes isn’t aware of how contrite his complaints regarding his mother’s lifestyle are. She supposes it’s a layover from his days as a disillusioned party boy but the pouting aspect of it is all rather adorable. 

“Then I’ll be able to see the exact nature of their relationship,” She explains the last part of her plan and she can feel the confusion lift from Oliver through their bond with a smile. 

“That’s… not a bad plan, actually,” He comments slowly and Felicity laughs for a moment before preening her shoulders. 

“I’m not a certified genius for nothing.” 

“Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Oliver sighs and Felicity can hear the grateful tone to his voice. She knows today has already been a lot, without Thea loading this onto him now, so she’s glad she’s offered some insight that might take some of the burden off of his shoulders. 

_ Probably not,  _ she thinks right after,  _ stupid, self-sacrificing, lovable idiot.  _

“You’d probably be dead by now,” She counters with a smirk that grows into a smile when she hears Oliver’s light chuckle. 

“I’ll see you later,” He tells her, and Felicity hums, sending affection and warmth through their bond in an attempt to steal him for what’s to come. 

“See you later.” 

* * *

Oliver is grateful to have sorted things out with Diggle by the time Thea’s birthday party gets underway. He’s grateful for the apology that the older man offers, the two of them reaching a compromise with a deeper understanding and respect for the other’s way of doing things. Whilst Oliver wishes he hadn’t fought with the man who is quickly becoming not only a partner but a close friend, he’s grateful for the opportunity it’s given him to expand his worldview a little. 

What he is not grateful for is how many people are currently crammed into his house. There are teenagers and a few of his mother’s friends and people who Oliver knows are decidedly in their twenties that he prays Thea doesn’t make a habit of hanging around. The music is blaring and the drinks are flowing and people are getting a little too rowdy for Oliver’s liking. He feels like he’s just about to pop a blood vessel when a feeling of calm washes over him. 

He’s confused for a second before he turns towards the door and sees Felicity, gratefully handing her coat over to the maid manning the entrance. 

She looks beautiful. 

There’s truly no other word for it, she’s stunning. The silk of her dress clings ever so gently to the curves of her body, her blonde curls tamed slightly to fall gracefully around her face. He notes with a slightly possessive note that has something deep within him purring contently that the deep green color of her garment is almost identical to the shade of his hood. She’s wearing his color, and goddamn, she looks incredible. 

“Oh thank god,” He cannot help but state as she approaches, stepping up to him and pressing a welcoming kiss to his cheek before she frowns. 

“You okay?” She immediately questions, her hand rubbing soothingly up his arm with a concerned look and Oliver attempts a smile, shaking his head. 

“This party is getting just a little out of hand,” He explains with a small frown as he looks around. He spots a couple of kids he knows are from Thea’s year at school making out in the corner and he winces, shaking his head as he expels the unwelcome thoughts that the sight sparks in his mind. He knows that Thea is an adult, legally now, but she’ll always be his baby sister and there are some things he just doesn’t need to think about. 

“That’s Thea for you,” Felicity chuckles, her hand slipping under his jacket to slide up his back over his shirt and Oliver feels the tension leave him almost immediately. He leans into her embrace, feeling far more comfortable with her at his side as Tommy approaches, looking more than a little intoxicated, “Hi Tommy.” 

“Hey Felicity, you look incredible!” Tommy grins, his eyes swooping over Felicity and lingering on her legs for just a moment longer than Oliver is comfortable with. He knows Felicity is attractive ( _ obviously)  _ and can also very much handle herself, but he also knows Tommy, and that’s what has him growling out with a frown. 

“Watch it.” 

“I’m a one-woman man, don’t worry!” Tommy laughs, raising his hand in surrender and Oliver calms when Felicity laughs, rolling her eyes as she brushes soothingly over Oliver’s back. 

“You and Laurel made up then?” She questions with a raised eyebrow and Tommy frowns for a moment before he straightens his back. 

“We’re getting there!” He comments declaratively with a nod that has both Oliver and Felicity smiling. 

“Glad to hear it,” Felicity smiles and Oliver can tell she’s genuine. Whilst he agrees with her that he finds Tommy and Laurel to be a slightly odd pairing, he cannot deny that he just wants Tommy to be happy and if Laurel does that, then so be it. 

“I’m going to go dance, care to join?” His best friend offers, gesturing towards the dance floor with a raised eyebrow and Oliver and Felicity share a look, both of them clearly hesitant. 

“Maybe later, Tommy, go have fun,” Felicity smiles softly as she looks back towards Tommy. 

“Yeah, maybe later, buddy,” Oliver confirms when he looks at him with his eyebrow still raised. 

“Your guys’ loss, they say I have the best ass in town and no one knows how to shake it better than I do,” Tommy grins, throwing a wink over his shoulder before he sashays into the crowd, his hips swaying wildly as if to emphasize his point. 

“That’s an image I never needed,” Felicity winces with a chuckle and Oliver laughs too, shaking his head. He trails his fingers up Felicity’s arm, encouraging her arm out from under his jacket so that he can clasp it. He interlocks their fingers when she complies and tugs her gently towards a quieter spot, settling on a stool under the stairs. He sinks onto the velvet plush and smiles up at Felicity who moves to stand in between his legs, her hands brushing gently over his neck and collar. 

“He’s had quite a few shots. Apparently, he’s fighting with his dad again,” Oliver explains of Tommy, glancing over to see his best friend dancing wildly in the middle of the floor and greatly amusing the teenagers around him. 

“Poor guy can’t catch a break,” Felicity frowns, her eyes on Tommy as well and Oliver chuckles morosely for a moment, shaking his head. 

“Sounds like some other people I know,” He comments dryly and Felicity barks out a short laugh, turning her gaze back to him with a small smile. 

“Touche,” She winks, her hands brushing down his chest. 

“You okay? There’s a lot of people here,” Oliver questions gently, knowing that large social situations like this really aren’t Felicity’s cup of tea. Too many connections can cause her to overload and to be honest, he doesn’t even really want to place her in a situation where she might get a headache. The less she’s suffering, the better. 

“Extra strength contacts, my latest design. I’ll have a headache but it shouldn’t get much worse than that,” She smiles simply, tapping her temple with a grin as if she hasn’t just revealed she’s invented something that could greatly improve the lives of  _ everyone  _ with the sight. 

“You’re remarkable, have I told you that lately?” He asks her, his voice a little dreamy as he stares up at her in amazement. His hands rise, holding her waist for a moment before they slip down the silky material of her dress to rest on her hips, his thumbs rubbing circles on her skin through the fabric. 

“Hmm, yes, but it’s still nice to hear,” She smirks sheepishly, preening her shoulders and Oliver laughs, totally amazed at both her genius and her humbleness. She truly is the most incredible woman and he feels so privileged to be able to call himself her soulmate. 

“You do look beautiful by the way,” He tells her and delights in the blush that breaks out over her cheeks. He notes, with definitive glee, the way it spreads down her neck and over her chest, his eyes lingering for slightly longer than is necessary. 

He blames that on the couple of beers he’s drank this evening. 

“Well, you look very handsome. I mean, I’m partial to your henleys but I must admit, you cut a very nice shape in a shirt and jacket,” Felicity hums, her hands roaming over his chest and back up to his lapels with a small smirk and Oliver feels his stomach twist delightfully. He gives himself a moment to take in how wonderous a moment this is, to have the attention of a beautiful woman that he’s destined to be with, to hear that she finds him as attractive as he finds her… it’s everything he thought he’d never get to have. 

“Yeah?” 

“Hmm, you’d have made a very handsome CEO in another life,” She smirks and that makes Oliver snort, shaking his head. 

“Another life where I actually was smart enough to do that,” He comments dryly with a derisive laugh. 

“Hey, you’re incredibly smart,” Felicity counters with a frown, pushing gently against his shoulder, and Oliver chuckles, raising an eyebrow. 

“Coming from the literal genius,” He reminds her and she rolls her eyes. 

“I didn’t say as smart as  _ me,”  _ She mutters under her breath, making Oliver laugh. 

He slips his arms around her waist, tugging her close for a moment. His face presses against her stomach through the silky material of her dress and he sighs contently as she runs her fingers through his hair. 

“Hmm, thank you for that decryption, by the way, totally saved the day,” Oliver pulls back after a moment, his arms remaining loosely around her waist as he looks up at her with a small smile. 

“You and Diggle are on better terms now,” She states rather than questions which makes Oliver note that it sounds as if their partner has already spoken to her. 

“We’ve made it to an understanding. He’s going to trust me more and I’m going to place less complete trust in the list,” Oliver explains with a small hum, knowing there’s a lot more to it than that but also feeling that that covers the general basis. 

“That sounds like an excellent compromise,” Felicity nods with a small smile and Oliver resists the urge to puff out his chest when he hears the proud tone in her voice. 

“We both missed you down there though,” He comments with a gentle smile, his hand drifting up to brush over her back gently. 

“I’ll be back soon. We’re basically done. Your mom wants me to look at the mansion too,” Felicity explains, her eyes darting around and Oliver chuckles as he notes the way she’s clearly already taking catalog of what she can do in here. She’s so remarkable and she’s not even aware of it most of the time. 

“I hope she’s paying you for that,” Oliver comments with a low voice. He’s grateful that his mother seems to be warming to Felicity but he hopes it is well intentioned and not just an attempt to take advantage of Felicity’s nature. 

“She said she would,” She assures him with a nod and a small smirk. 

“Good, wouldn’t want her taking advantage of your goodwill.” 

“A knight in shining armor too,” Felicity teases, her eyes sparkling with merriment and Oliver shakes his head with a smirk of his own. 

“You’re getting far too idealized a view of me.” 

“Hmm, I think it’s pretty spot-on,” She’s still teasing as she raises a hand to brush over his stubble but there’s a quiet affection beneath her eyes too that makes Oliver’s heart glow. Her trust in him, her unwavering belief that he is good, it’s more than he could ever ask for and he’s so grateful for her. “Oh look, there’s Malcolm.” 

Oliver frowns, feeling as if Felicity’s just thrown a bucket of ice-cold water over him. It all comes flooding back to him, the conversation with Thea and Felicity’s want to study Malcolm and Moira’s connection at the party to try and get to the bottom of what all of this might mean. He follows his soulmate’s gaze to see that Tommy’s father is making his way up the stairs towards the balcony that overlooks the hall and Oliver frowns. 

“Mom’s up there,” He recalls and follows Felicity as she steps back, rushing out to get a better view as Malcolm approaches the lone figure of his mother as she looks out across the party. 

Oliver is watching the two adults, carefully watching the tense expression on his mother’s face and the dark look on Malcolm’s. If he wasn’t studying them so closely, he would have noticed the way Felicity freezes, fear, shock, and pain covering her expression as she stares at the pair on the mezzanine. 

“ _ Oh.”  _

Her voice is quiet, barely above a whisper, but Oliver is so attuned to her now, he whirls around to face her immediately, concern and terror flooding through him as he stares at the stagnant frame of his soulmate. 

“Felicity? Honey, what is it?” He asks immediately, his hand coming up to rest gently on her shoulder but she just shakes her head, her eyes locked on his mother and Malcolm. 

“Not good, not good,” She mutters under her breath, which is becoming shorter and sharper as she struggles to breathe. 

“Babe? Felicity, sweetheart, come on, look at me,” Oliver pleads, terror ripping through him as he gently urges a hand under her chin to force her eyes onto him. His heart breaks at the fear and pain he sees in her bright blue eyes, an expression he wishes she’d never had to bear. 

“I... “ She clearly tries but cannot get the words out, her head snapping back to look at the couple on the balcony in shock. 

“Okay, hang on,” Oliver frowns and without really caring who sees, scoops her into his arms and heads up the closest staircase. They gain a few odd looks but Oliver ignores all bar one; Thea who frowns when she spots them from her spot at the top of the stairs. 

“She okay?” The birthday girl questions, worry covering her face as she spots the pair. 

“She will be!” Oliver calls as he passes her, turning right and heading down the enclosed corridor and away from the party. 

Had he not been so concerned with Felicity, he might have noticed the heartbroken look on Thea’s face quickly turning into anger. He might have seen the way she looks over at her mother and Malcolm, shock and pain filling her young body before she rips open the packet her friends handed her earlier and heads out to her brand new car. If he had seen it, things would have gone differently. 

But Oliver  _ is  _ preoccupied with Felicity. He finally makes it to his room, slamming the door open and shut behind them before he places her gently down on the bed. He’s seen her like this only once before when they first met in her office all those months ago and it is that thought which has him gently cupping her cheeks as he turns her gaze onto him once more. 

“Sweetheart, look at me, are you okay? Do you need your glasses?” He questions softly, his thumb rubbing against the smooth down of her cheek as his eyebrows contort in concern. He releases a sigh of relief as her eyes  _ finally  _ focus and land on him, blinking a few times before she takes a deep breath. 

“No, no… it wasn’t… it wasn’t an overload,” She comments quietly, her voice almost  _ fearful  _ in a way Oliver’s never heard before. 

“It wasn’t?” He presses with a frown. He assumed it was like their first meeting, that something about his mother’s bond with Malcolm was so overwhelming for Felicity’s photosensitivity that it caused her to have a sensory overload. As he regards her now though, he can see that it’s different. 

She’s less spaced out than before, she’s in the room but she’s clearly thinking very deeply about something. She’s not wincing at the light hanging above them and her body is tenser than recoiled. He notes that it seems as if this is something more emotional than a reactionary result of her ability. 

“No, I…” 

“It’s okay, you don’t need to tell me if it’s too hard,” Oliver assures her, his hand still on her cheek. God knows he hasn’t told her everything about his time away and he would never assume he knows everything about her past. She shakes her head though, steeling herself, and not for the first time, Oliver is taken aback by her bravery. 

“No, I… remember how I told you about my father and how when he abandoned me and my mom, it was one of the hardest things I ever went through?” She starts slowly, glancing down at her hands for a moment which are fidgeting uncomfortably in her lap. She looks so small, so vulnerable, and yet so brave and Oliver feels his heart sink, just wishing he could take her pain away. 

“Of course.” 

“Well, there’s something else, something that happened whilst I was at MIT.” 

“Okay,” Oliver adds softly when she takes a long pause, staring down at her hands for a long moment. Oliver reaches down, his hand clasping one of hers and squeezing, letting her know that he’s here for her. It seems to be the strength she needs as she takes a deep breath, swallowing thickly before she starts to speak. 

“I hadn’t really been around other people my age before, other teenagers, and going to college was a whole host of new experiences. Making friends was a huge step for me and it was hard because people thought I was weird or different. I really only had two close friends during that time. Myron and his roommate, Cooper. Myron was nice and we mostly talked about coding but Cooper... I thought I loved Cooper. We planned on changing the world, one hack at a time. He had all these big dreams and he fit me in with all of them. At the time I was working on my deadliest code ever, this thing was tough enough to break through government firewalls, and it did. I just wanted to screenshot that I got in and post it on some hacker forum I was a part of, I never wanted to do anything with it. Cooper… he stole it from my computer. I didn’t know at the time that he made a duplicate. I thought all was well and as we approached graduation, we started networking and trying to find jobs in the industry. Cooper convinced me that the sight was a gift I needed to share with him, to tell him who to impress so that he could land himself the highest position possible, and he did.  _ My _ gift meant that he was lined up to head a whole department at Palmer Technologies. But then he used the code. Erased a bunch of student loans but stupidly left part of his system configured so the hack was back-traceable. I guess he thought any fallback would land on me and be traced back to my laptop as the computer of origin.” 

Oliver feels his heart break for Felicity all over again as she recalls the story. He knows how harsh betrayal can feel, his mind springs back to Slade and all the drama that went down between them. To think that Felicity was  _ eighteen  _ when this happened, it’s heartbreaking. He wishes he knew more about this Cooper so that he could hunt him down. It’s baffling to him, knowing what’s it’s like to receive Felicity’s affection. It’s the most glorious feeling in the world and to give all of that up for ambition? He thinks Cooper sounds like the biggest idiot of whom he’s ever heard. 

“He was planning on betraying you,” Oliver comments almost unnecessarily and Felicity takes a deep breath, nodding her head. She lifts her gaze, her eyes meeting Oliver’s, and his stomach drops at the sight of tears swimming in her beautiful gaze. 

“Uh-huh. The FBI found him within the week. When I went to see him at the prison he said ‘all’s fair in love and war, babe’. He hung himself before sentencing,” She elaborates almost unfeelingly and Oliver sighs heavily, his heart clenching painfully. 

He’s not sure he’s ever hated someone more than this Cooper kid. Felicity is too good, too sweet, too kind for anyone to put this kind of expression on her face. 

“Felicity… sweetheart, I am so sorry, I had no idea,” Oliver sighs, his hands gently clasping hers and Felicity swallows, a single tear slipping down her face. He immediately lifts a hand to wipe it away, smiling sadly at her when her lips quip ever so slightly as his knuckle swipes over her cheek. 

“How could you? I’ve never told anyone that. Not even my mom knows the whole story,” Felicity admits softly and Oliver feels his heart pang painfully in his chest at the admission. 

...he’s really never felt like this for anyone. 

“Thank you for sharing it, I am so sorry that happened to you,” He tells her gently, squeezing her hands and Felicity smiles ever so slightly, her hands squeezing his back. 

“You’re probably wondering how that links to your mom and Malcolm, huh?” Felicity questions with a light chuckle after a while, raising an eyebrow and Oliver smiles too, shrugging his shoulders. 

“A little, I’ll admit.” 

“The last time I saw a bond that color was my own connection to Cooper. It’s blood-red, Oliver. When I was with Cooper, I thought it meant we were so in love, but I did a lot of research following his death. That bright red, like the color of fresh blood, it’s most commonly found in connections where one party is a danger to the other, where someone has something to fear,” Felicity explains gently and Oliver frowns as he processes everything she’s saying. 

“Something nefarious is going on there,” He concludes with a deep frown, and Felicity nods. 

“Exactly, and I don’t think it’s just an affair,” She states and Oliver takes a deep breath. He really doesn’t know what to think about all of this but he knows this is proof that  _ something  _ is going on there. 

“But Thea was right about something,” Oliver adds and Felicity hums with a nod, straightening her shoulders as she takes a deep breath. 

“That bond is far too bright, it’s thrumming with too much energy for them to not be meeting regularly. I’d bet my best homebuilt computer that it’s something to do with those two lists,” Felicity nods decisively and Oliver takes a moment to appreciate just how well she can compartmentalize. 

“Okay? So what do we do about it?” 

“Ollie! Ollie!” 

Both of them turn at the sound of the door slamming open. Tommy is stood in the door, frowning as he takes in the scene before him before he shakes his head, staring at Oliver with a terrified expression on his face. 

“Tommy, what’s wrong?” Oliver asks, a bad sense running down his spine as he takes in his best friend’s tense stance. 

“It’s Thea. She crashed her car,” Tommy states, and Oliver immediately freezes. 

“What?” 


End file.
